Manchester City's FA Youth Cup dream goes on after an impressive hat-trick from fit-again striker Danny Sturridge defeated Reading 3-1 to book a fifth round tie away at Bristol City.

Hosts Reading took the lead after 24 minutes as Josh Webb hammered home a loose ball inside the City box, but after going behind against Millwall in the last round, the Blues didn't panic.

And despite eight months passing since his last game in a Blue shirt, Sturridge produced a quality strike to level the scores after 31 minutes.

Cutting in from the right flank, the England Youth international curled a fine effort beyond McCarthy in the Royals' goal from the edge of the box, keeper no chance.

Indeed City could have gone in at the break 2-1 ahead, David Ball swivelled to hook the ball goalwards, but this time McCarthy did enough to keep the ball out.

Reading started the second half in bright fashion but after 57 minutes Sturridge bagged a second. This time Reading failed to clear a free kick and as Boyata had headed across goal Sturridge popped up to tap home from close range.

Despite the home side's best efforts to pull the game level Sturridge ended the tie with 15 minutes remaining. A sweeping ball from left to right was brilliantly controlled by Sturridge on his chest before lining it up and firing home left footed to complete his hat-trick.

City were through to the fifth round and fresh from Bianchi's departure to Lazio, Sturridge delivered the perfect message to Sven-Goran Eriksson.

We'll bring you post-match reaction from Jim Cassell here tomorrow on mcfc.co.uk.

Teams:

Reading:
McCarthy, Kelly, Spence, Cox, Hateley (c), Bayley (Frewen 65), Sigurdsson, Webb, Bignall (Bryant 77), Vasilev, Illugason (Bossman 65).

unused subs: Kitteridge, Mitchell.

City:
Hartley, Trippier, McGivern, Boyata, Mee (c), Kay, Tsiaklis (Ibrahim 57), Weiss, McDermott, Ball, Sturridge.

unused subs: Nimely-Tchuimeni, Clegg, Tutte, Mak.