WORCESTER City have been beaten to the signature of Crewe Alexandra teenager Chris Flynn by Cambridge United.

Andy Preece has spent the last two weeks trying to bring the 19-year-old midfielder to St George's Lane.

But the deal was scuppered at the 11th-hour by a better offer from Conference strugglers Cambridge.

City manager Preece said: "We have been trying to bring in Flynn from Crewe this week, but we missed out on him at the last minute.

"It would have been nice but Cambridge could offer him Conference football and higher stakes and he decided to go there. I can't blame him for that."

Flynn, who has been capped by Wales Under 19s, has made just one appearance as a substitute for the League One side this season.

He turned professional last June after coming through Crewe's youth system, which has produced the likes of Tottenham and former Liver-pool midfielder Danny Mur-phy.

Flynn, who can also play across the back line, would have become the second player to sign for City in recent days folllowing the capture of Rapinder Gill.

The 20-year-old defender has signed a two-year contract with City but has been loaned back to Bromsgrove Rovers for the rest of the season.