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Champions!

geezer
geezer
in Chelsea FC Reserves & Youth Team

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From the Official site:

Chelsea are champions of the Barclays Premier Reserve League South and will contest a play-off against Manchester United or Blackburn next week to decide the national champions.

Steve Holland's side needed a win to overtake Arsenal in the table and dominated Monday evening's match from start to finish.

It is the first time Chelsea have won a reserve title since we were Football Combination champions in 1994 in the days when Eddie Niedzwiecki was coach and Kevin Hitchcock, David Lee, Gareth Hall and Robert Fleck were in the side.

The class of 2011 did the damage through goals from George Saville, Adam Phillip and Gokhan Tore, with Josh McEachran pulling plenty of strings with his passing from a deep midfield role, Milan Lalkovic stretching Wolves with his run and the defence standing firm. It was an all-round team effort.

Conor Clifford set the pattern for the game just three minutes with a sweet first-time shot, tipped round the post at full-stretch by Wolves keeper Aaron McCarey. He had to make a two-handed diving stop from Milan Lalkovic three minutes later when the Slovakian curled a shot early from the edge of the area.

It took just a minute more for Chelsea to take the lead and this time McCarey had been left helpless after Phillip had powered beyond right-back Matthew Doherty and cut out the keeper with a pass. The strong-running Saville (pictured) tapped in.

Phillip could have added a second from similar range after Todd Kane found following a brilliant ball from his own half from McEachran. The Blues were well on top.

The ball kept coming into the visitors' area with menace and a Lalkovic cross looked to be seeking out Todd Kane in the six-yard area but the advanced right-back couldn't direct his header.

The second goal arrived on 24 minutes thanks to a Gomes moment from the Wolves keeper. Phillip's 20-yard shot was firmly struck but shouldn't have found a way through the legs of McCarey who was far too close to the line to stop the ball anywhere near it.

The keeper acquitted himself far better on 33 minutes with a save when a stretching Lalkovic stabbed goalwards after Chelsea captain Ryan Bertrand had left John Gorman in his wake and crossed.

Wolves manufactured their first genuine chance soon after but Leigh Griffiths shinned the ball wide when found by a clever free-kick.

Lalkovic should have done better when Chelsea outnumbered Wolves on the break after George Saville had nicked possession and then McEachran was only inches away but cleared the crossbar when the ball was played back to him on the edge of the area.

Lalkovic was denied again before the break with a shot deflected over the bar. Adam Phillip then had his head in his hands when he rolled the ball wide in stoppage time with only the keeper to beat.

So the Blues had to settle for a 2-0 lead at the interval. It could well have been 4-0 or 5-0 with some more composed or more fortunate finishing.

There was no messing from Tore just two minutes into the second-half when he made it 3-0 with a low right-foot finish after Phillip had split the defence.

This Chelsea side was enjoying itself and when Tore found Bertrand in space, the left-back had an ambitious shot tipped wide.

Tore had the chance for the second on the hour but blazed over after making space for a shot before there was a rare save for Ross Turnbull to make when Liam McAlinden shot at him.

The rest of the game passed with no further chances for the Black Country side so all that was left was for the a champagne celebration to take place on the Stamford Bridge pitch.

The south v north play-off is over one game and will be next Monday at Stamford Bridge. Man United and Blackburn play each other for the right to face Chelsea on Wednesday.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Ross Turnbull; Todd Kane, Tomas Kalas, Carl Magany, Ryan Bertrand © (Aziz Deen-Conteh 82); Conor Clifford, Josh McEachran, George Saville (Michael Woods 75); Gokhan Tore, Milan Lalkovic (Bobby Devyne 88), Adam Phillip.

Wolves (4-4-2): Aaron McCarey; Matthew Doherty, Michael Ikiewhe, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Ashley Hemmings; John Gorman (Robert Parry 56), Nathan Rooney ©, Anthony Forde (Sam Whittall 82), Liam McAlinden (Jake Kempton 84); Leigh Griffths, Jake Cassidy.

LINK

Wolves (4-4-2): Aaron McCarey; Matthew Doherty, Michael Ikiewhe, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Ashley Hemmings; John Gorman (Robert Parry 56), Nathan Rooney ©, Anthony Forde (Sam Whittall 82), Liam McAlinden (Jake Kempton 84); Leigh Griffths, Jake Cassidy.

This Ebanks bloke.....interesting. Something to ponder on...



Further confirmations of what good young talent we've got coming through. A lot of the team were the ones that one the youth cup last year and of course we've had loads of reserves out on loan all season.

Congratulations!

Great news for the club!

btw...wth are the two players on right doing in that picture?! unsure.gif (the one on the link posted by geezer)

Great news for the club!

btw...wth are the two players on right doing in that picture?! unsure.gif (the one on the link posted by geezer)

I believe that they are merely exchanging formalities.



It's Blackburn who we face in the north v south one off final to determine who has the best reserve side in the country.

LINK

IT’S ROVERS FOR THE RESERVES

Posted on: Wed 11 May 2011

Chelsea's reserve team, crowned southern champions on Monday, will face Blackburn Rovers in a play-off to decide the national champions.

Blackburn beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night in a play-off between the winners of two northern sections of the Barclays Premier Reserve League and now take on Chelsea in a one-off game at Stamford Bridge. The provisional date is Monday with ticket details to be announced shortly.

Blackburn scored twice in the first half against a Man United side containing Darren Fletcher and Rafael, both goals coming from Barcelona youth product Ruben Rochina who later went off with an injury. The home side pulled one back from the penalty spot. Rovers included Nikola Kalinic in their side.

Wonder if the Rovers side has the same group of players that we beat in the Youth Cup last season, Hitchcock scored an og if I remember rightly.

I hope at least one or two go on from this team to make the first team on a regular basis, they're certainly a gifted bunch.

Always enjoy watching the reserve/youth games on Chelsea tv when I get the chance, and pleased as well to see that one of the players, Adam Philip is a Carshalton lad.





19 minutes gone. Blackburn 1-0. Goal came from a defensive error, poor pass by Kalas (I think). Chelsea looked bright early on playing an excellent passing game, but have faded since. Earlier a George Saville header was saved on the line. Ross Turnbull has looked shaky.



I can't believe Töre missed that one! :shok:

---[edit]---

Same goes for Lalkovic!

Edited by Maksimov

Magnay with the header, I think that's three times we've hit the woodwork now? We've had plenty of chances, look much the better team. Looked to have had a nailed on penalty in the first half, so far it has to be said that Blackburn have got lucky.



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