Ben Starosta played his first game in a City shirt yesterday as the reserves drew 4-4 in a friendly at Sunderland.

The on-loan right back got an outing in a match hastily organised at the Premier League club's training ground.

Nottingham Forest striker David Brown did his chances of earning a deal with City no harm by scoring twice. Willy Topp and Eddie Johnson were on target as well.

Stuart McCall also used the chance to have a look at two other trialists - Spanish winger Jonathan Gomez and Jamaican defender Demar Stewart, brother of former Bantam Damion.

Sunderland's line-up included new £1.5million French signing Jean-Yves M'voto and former Manchester United winger Quinton Fortune.

City roared into a two-goal lead inside three minutes, with Brown and Topp converting left-wing crosses from Alex Rhodes.

David Dowson pulled one back after a Luke Sharry pass was intercepted but Brown made it 3-1 with a cool finish from Topp's through-ball.

Sunderland reduced the arrears again just before the break through Jordan Henderson and then levelled soon after the break.

When substitute goalkeeper Jamie Waite, on for Ben Saynor, was caught in no-man's land by a wind-assisted effort, City found themselves trailing.

But Johnson latched on to the end of a Rhodes free-kick to earn a deserved draw, Waite making sure with a fine one-handed save towards the end.

City Reserves: Saynor (Waite), Starosta, O'Brien (Hopkins), Sharry, Stewart, Ainge, Gomez, Johnson (Horne), Brown, Topp (Osborne), Rhodes. Subs (not used): Smith, Bowes.

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