Wanderers Res 0 Man City Res 1

STEVE Banks has re-assured Sam Allardyce that, in the goalkeeping department at least, he has quality beyond his high-flying first 11.

Jussi Jaaskelainen has re-established himself as the undisputed Reebok number one after recovering from major knee surgery last season and has conceded just one goal in the three glorious victories that have put Wanderers on top of the Premiership table.

But the experienced Banks, who was limited to just 14 senior appearances last season, produced a string of impressive saves in the reserves last night to remind the Finland international that he has no margin for error if he wants to keep his shirt.

The shot stopping performance was not enough to save the relatively inexperienced Wanderers' second string from defeat - City's winner coming in the 58th minute when Chris Killen headed home Terry Cooke's cross - but he kept the game alive with a hat-trick of saves from Shaun Wright-Phillips and two from Nantes striker Alioune Toure, who is on trial at Maine Road after failing to impress at the Reebok.

Wanderers might have rescued a point too if either David Norris or Jeff Smith had been marginally more accurate after creating openings for themselves with darting runs.

Wright-Phillips posed the only serious threat on Banks' goal in the first half when he fired a snapshot narrowly wide while Ryan Baldaccino went closest for Wanderers, skimming the outside of the post after a lively break.

Wanderers: Banks, Bird, Hunt, Buchanan, O'Hare (sub Eckersley 83 mins), Baldaccino, Ryan (sub Downey 55), Wheatcroft, Smith, Norris, Morini (sub Shakes 73).