Scrappy game, not helped by the conditions and the fact that the teams hadn't played together for a while, as you say with a lot of new faces. Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half, second goal looked offside but overall it was a well deserved win.
Match report from the official site:
Quote
Second-half goals from schoolboy Nathaniel Chalobah and midfielder George Saville were sufficient to win a competitive encounter in the north-east and line-up a Stamford Bridge match against Arsenal in the fourth round.
Both goals were scrambled affairs following set-pieces. Chalobah (pictured), an England Under 17 international who only turned 16 in December, scored from just a couple of yards out, and Saville, a 17-year-old in his second full-time year, was not much further from goal when he hit the target.
That was indicative of a tight encounter between two strong sides who each struck woodwork in the first 45 minutes.
The match was held behind-closed-doors at Sunderland's youth training ground - The Academy of Light - a late switch from the original venue due to the state of the pitch at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground. You can watch the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV at 6.30pm tonight.
It was the Chelsea youth team's first game for a month. Sunderland, who top their section of the Academy League, had been inactive for even longer, and it took a while for either side to carve out a chance.
Eight minutes in came the first opening for Chelsea after full-back Billy Clifford and winger Todd Kane combined down the right, Clifford's cross falling for Milan Lalkovic but from a difficult position the Slovakian hit a bouncing ball over.
On 13 minutes, Jamal Blackman in the Chelsea goal didn't get a full hand on a free-kick crossed into the box in blustery conditions but the Blues survived.
It needed a great save from Blackman's opposite number Lewis King 19 minutes in to keep out Lalkovic when the centre-forward hit a sweet volley on target from a Kane cross, following more good work from Clifford in the build-up. Bobby Devyne couldn't snaffle up the rebound.
In the next 10 minutes former Chelsea youth team player Billly Knott, a team-mate of several of this Chelsea team last season was involved twice, first earning a yellow card for a foul on Archange Nkumu.
Sunderland were looking dangerous from set-pieces and when one was headed down inside the area on 31 minutes, there was good fortune for Chelsea as Knott volleyed hard and low against the post.
Before that, Sunderland striker Jordan Laidler headed a cross on target, only for Blackman to turn it wide at full-stretch.
On 38 minutes Chelsea evened the woodwork count when Clifford caught Adam Mitchell napping and carried the ball 20 yards before his effort beat the keeper but cannoned back into play off the foot of a post.
In the 10 minutes before the break Chelsea began to take control of the game and there could have been an opener when Lalkovic scooped over the bar from close range, and again when the same player's lob was too high as Sunderland's defence was caught out by a long punt from the back by Danny Pappoe.
There was plenty of defending for Chelsea to do early in the second half and when Anton Rodgers couldn't cut out a pass and Knott found himself in the clear, there was much relief when the midfielder rolled his chance wide.
Chelsea made a change on 53 minutes, Ben Sampayo coming on at right-back with Clifford moving into midfield. Nkumu was the player to make way with Nathaniel Chalobah dropping into central defence.
The Blues were attempting to use the pace of Lalkovic, often a winger, by trying to find him early, but the tactic wasn't paying dividends.
It was perhaps no surprise that when the opening goal came on 62 minutes, given the tightness of the game, it took a set-piece to break the deadlock.
Sunderland gave away a free-kick midway inside their half for a shirt tug and although the delivery was dangerous, it was initially headed clear. Clifford returned the ball back into a crowded six-yard box and Chalobah was in the right place to divert the ball over the line.
The second goal, scored on 75 minutes, came from the same supply line as the first, a free-kick from Anton Rodgers, son of Swansea manager and former Chelsea reserve coach Brendan.
It was awarded for a foul on Devyne and again Sunderland cleared the ball but only for a game of pinball to follow in the home side's penalty area. First Saville's shot was blocked, as was the follow up effort from Clifford, before Saville turned it in at his second time of asking.
Chelsea played out the rest of the game without scares. Laidler found space near the end but shot wide with the home side's final half-chance.
The first hurdle in the defence of the FA Youth Cup had been cleared.
'It was a really tough game,' said youth team manager Dermot Drummy.
'Sunderland are a good Academy side with a great coach in Kevin Ball. It wasn't a refined game. We both looked like we needed a game after a long break but the character of both sides was first class. First-half our strategy was fine, we didn't want to let them get in behind us.
'Second luck we rode our luck when Billy Knott almost scored but then we got the goal and that gave us the impetus and we relaxed. We were edgy before that, being holdersis new to these lads, but some put in accomplished performances and the biggest factor was we showed a great mentality.'
Chelsea (4-3-3): Jamal Blackman; Billy Clifford, Daniel Pappoe ©, Archange Nkumu (Ben Sampayo 53), Aziz Deen-Conteh; Nathaniel Chalobah (Adam Nditi 90+2), Anton Rodgers, George Saville; Todd Kane, Milan Lalkovic, Bobby Devyne.
Sunderland (4-1-2-1-2): Lewis King; Liam Marrs, John Egan, Michael Lamb, Jordan Watson; Louis Liang; Andrew Harrison, Brett Elliot; Billy Knott; Adam Mitchell, Jordan Laidler.
Chelsea host Arsenal's youth team in the fourth round at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday, 19 January. The game will be live on Chelsea TV.
Kick-off is 7pm with tickets costing £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
They must be purchased via the box office - in person, online or by phone by 4pm on Wednesday 19 January to ensure entry. No tickets will be sold after 4pm on the day of the match.
For postal delivery, tickets need to be purchased by 1pm Friday 14 January.
This Saturday's home youth league game against West Ham has been postponed.
Edited by Hutch, 13 January 2011 - 04:38 PM.
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