Fit-again Paul Anderson completed sixty minutes on his return to action this Tuesday, as City's reserves defeated Wigan Athletic 1-0 at the Coral Windows Stadium in the Final Third Development League.
On his first start in City colours since breaking his leg last September, Anderson eased his way back into the fold with a solid display before the winger was replaced by apprentice Sumaili Cissa on the hour mark.
City's winner in the match came after only eight minutes when pressure from Reece Webb-Foster caused a rushed clearance from Wigan goalkeeper Owen Evans, eventually allowing Josh Morris to fire into an unguarded goal from just outside the box.
Along with Morris and Anderson, Greg Leigh, Billy Knott and Christopher Routis also started the match in front of the watching City boss Phil Parkinson and assistant Steve Parkin.
Morris, Leigh, Knott and Routis all completed ninety minutes.
Ahead of Morris' opener, Wigan nearly took the lead themselves when the ball fell into the path of Sam Cosgrove and the Latics attacker crashed in a superb volley from outside the box that rattled against Joe Cracknell's crossbar.
Just a minute later though, City struck through Morris when Wigan shot-stopper Evans was forced from his area as Webb-Foster looked to chase down Cracknell's big kick forward.
Defenders Alex Lingard and Luke Burke tried to help out Evans but some keen closing down from Anderson kept the danger alive and ball broke to Morris to allow the midfielder to calmly strike into the empty goal from roughly twenty yards out.
The lively Webb-Foster, who had earlier fired wide after being played into space by Sam Wright, was involved in an opening that could have doubled City's lead shortly before the break.
Leigh's inviting cross found Webb-Foster in space but the delivery seemed to bounce up awkwardly at the striker and he failed to make a meaningful connection from close range as the ball bobbled out for a goal-kick.
With Anderson off the pitch by this stage, Evans was forced to tip over midway through the second period to stop the ball from dropping in after James King had challenged the Wigan 'keeper with purpose in the air from a Billy Knott wide free-kick delivery.
Knott was then involved again shortly afterwards when Leigh turned the ball wide from the midfielder's cross into the box.
Wigan tried to push for a leveller as the half progressed and they went close when Matty Hamilton's corner delivery hit the top of Cracknell's crossbar before City managed to clear their lines.
With a minute of normal time remaining, Cracknell was forced to make a smart save down to his right by his near post following Cosgrove's low angled drive before Adrian Purzycki volleyed comfortably over with the rebound.
CITY XI
1. Joe Cracknell
2. Luca Mellor
3. Greg Leigh
4. Sam Wright
5. Christopher Routis
6. James King
7. Paul Anderson
8. Billy Knott
9. Reece Webb-Foster
10. Josh Morris
11. Ellis Hudson
Subs:
12. Chandler Hallwood (GK)
14. Kesi Omolokun
15. Daniel Devine
16. Dylan Mottley-Henry
17. Sumaili Cissa
Goals:
Morris (8)
Substitutions:
Mottley-Henry for Hudson (51), Cissa for Anderson (60), Devine for Webb-Foster (71)