Saints' FA Cup dream came to an end in the fourth round as they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City at the City of Manchester stadium this afternoon.

Kenwyne Jones gave Saints the lead midway through the first half but it lasted just three minutes with Darius Vassell smashing home the equaliser.

Saints' hopes were dealt a huge blow when they fell behind in first half stoppage time and from that point on City were always in control and added another before full time to book their place in tomorrow's fifth round draw.

It was a shaky start for Saints who were giving the ball away too cheaply and they almost paid six minutes in when there was a scramble in the box.

However, a combination of Kelvin Davis and Chris Baird managed to clear the danger.

Darren Powell had to come to the rescue with an excellent sliding tackle on Georgios Samaras three minutes later after he was inadvertently played through by Baird's sliced clearance.

Saints started to get a foothold in the tie though and came close themselves on 13 minutes.

David McGoldrick, a surprise starter in midfield, shot from 20 yards and Nicky Weaver had to get down sharply to his left to throw an arm at it and turn it behind.

Moments later Jones delivered a dangerous cross that Richard Dunne had to put behind after being played in down the left channel by Jermaine Wright.

There was a massive moment in the game on 24 minutes.

City should have taken the lead when Samaras was played through on goal but could only scuff a shot straight at Davis who saved.

Saints played the ball straight up the other end and Jones held off the attentions of a defender and reached the bouncing ball before the keeper and lifted it over Weaver and into the net.

But the lead lasted just three minutes.

Gareth Bale challenged Hatem Trabelsi for the ball but it bounced loose in the area.

Saints were too slow to close down Vassell, who was able to spin and fire a low half volley into Davis' bottom left hand corner.

Alexander Ostlund became the first man booked on the half hour mark for a shove on Vassell and after the free-kick broke down Samaras met a cross from the left but looped his header onto the roof of the net.

City were really squeezing the pressure on and if it wasn't for Bale's goalline clearance after a near post cross was met by Barton they would have been behind.

Saints battled out the rest of the half and looked Coty's equals.

But they were dealt a hammer blow when City took the lead in first half injury time.

Saints couldn't clear their lines and Stephen Ireland poked the ball through to Barton who made no mistake one-on-one with Davis, tucking the ball to his right hand side.

Suddenly a creditable half time scoreline was 2-1 and Saints had a much harder task in the second half.

After a quiet start to the second half, Saints almost got themselves back level on 53 minutes when Grzegorz Rasiak met a near post cross from the left -but he was prevented by a good tackle from Sylvain Distin.

The next chance was City's as they broke quickly and Samaras was played through but saw his shot from inside the area deflected just wide by Powell.

Just after the hour mark, the powerful running of Bale and a good pass allowed Jones a shot on goal but it was straight at Weaver who saved.

George Burley made a double change on 63 minutes with Mario Licka and former Manchester City striker Bradley Wright-Phillips coming on for Ostlund and Rasiak respectively.

Wright moved to right back with Licka on the left on midfield and McGoldrick on the right.

Samaras forced Davis into a save a minute later but the Saints keeper got his body behind it and held on.

City, however, sealed the tie on 70 minutes with another goal.

Richard Dunne played a long ball from the back, Wright was caught out by DaMarcus Beasley getting in behind him.

Beasley, who was strongly linked with Saints back in the summer of 2004 during Paul Sturrock's time in charge, beat Davis to the ball and nicked it past him and then went on to roll it into an empty net.

Davis was on hand to make a good save on 78 minutes from Ireland at the near post.

The Saints keeper made a brilliant save with nine minutes remaining to deny Ireland again, falling away to his right to block a well struck half volley.

City were rampant and Saints were clinging on.

But they did manage to stem the flow and almost created a chance for themselves with Jhon Viafara heading over from Wright's cross.

Bale almost pulled one back in injury time with a powerful run and near post shot that Weaver did well to turn behind.

Davis made an incredible save to prevent a City fourth with a point blank stop onto the bar from an Ishamel Miller header just yards in front of him.

But in the end Saints' FA Cup run came to an end with the more important business of the Championship now to concentrate on.

Teams: Man City: Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Trabelsi, Barton (Hamann 87), Dabo, Ireland, Beasley, Vassell (Abdoun 89)s, Samaras (Miller77).

Subs: Isaksson, Corradi.

Booked: Vassell, Trabelsi.

Saints: Davis, Ostlund (Licka 63), Baird, Powell, Bale, Wright, Wright, Pele, Viafara, McGoldrick, Jones, Rasiak (Wright-Phillips 63).

Subs: Bialkowski, Makin, Dyer.

Booked: Ostlund, Jones.

Don't miss tomorrow's Daily Echo for the best report, reaction and photos from the City of Manchester Stadium.