Plucky Weaver saves reputation

Not since Trevor Francis have Manchester City had a star like Nicky Weaver. And it was against one of the few icons of Maine Road over the past 20 years that the young goalkeeper proved that he had not lost his nerve. Francis was not slow to recognise the input of the player whose star had appeared to be falling until the save that prevented a major FA Cup upset, proving he has the guts and the guile to withstand the tremors that beset any aspiring youngster intent on proving himself.

The Birmingham City manager, though disappointed that the side who will face Ipswich tomorrow evening in the first round of the Worthington Cup semi-final had failed to correct the ridiculous imbalance of a three -goal first-half deficit, could not hide his admiration for the way Weaver had denied substitute Marcelo Cipriano an equaliser. By the time Weaver leapt brilliantly to his right with eight minutes remaining, Dele Adebola and Martin Grainger had cut City's lead to one.

But the header was pushed wide of an upright and former City striker Francis declared: 'The lads are still talking about that save in the dressing room. It was magnificent.' It remains to be seen if the 21-year-old's stunning contribution will mark the end of a series of errors that have recently undermined his standing as the best young goalkeeper in England, one whose progress, as Sportsmail recently revealed, is being closely monitored by Fiorentina among other Italian clubs. Eighteen months ago, Liverpool made a vain £3million enquiry. Manager Joe Royle, however, is determined that Weaver will not be sold and is prepared to live with the growing pains of his prodigy, even if he did not quite realise how special Weaver's preventative act was eight minutes from the end of his side's engagement of reverse gear.

In a witty appraisal of City's habitual, mercurial form, Royle could raise a smile, saying: 'Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the pitch . . . ' But there was nothing casual about his estimation of Weaver, the goalkeeper who 30 months ago he hauled from occasional third team duties to make him his No.1, saying : 'Nicky has been awesome for the past two years or so and, if he has been going through a wobble recently, then I'll take it. 'I would not swap him for any other goalkeeper in the country. If I was England manager he'd be in the team now.

'He is still not yet 22 but, I repeat, he is awesome. He has a fantastic future.' Andy Morrison, with an unfettered 17th-minute header, Darren Huckerby with his first goal, in the 30th minute, since arriving from Leeds United and Shaun Goater four minutes from the interval, suggested that even City could not make a mess of such a lead. But Birmingham, a shambles before the break, re-invented themselves and, after Steve Howey had forced a Darren Purse effort off the line, Grainger and Adebola offered proof their rivals had created a first-half mirage, having enjoyed a 100 per cent record of scoring with every goal attempt.

'Our confidence is not damaged,' insisted Francis. 'It should be remembered, too, that for most of my players the Worthington Cup represents the biggest moment of their careers. 'I am sure they saw Tuesday's game as giving themselves a far better chance of winning a trophy than the game against Manchester City.'