The Future is Bright, The Future is BLUE!


BACK2BACK
By The Kid
May 3 2006

As the Champions were in action at Blackburn last night so were the Reserves, who were playing West Ham Utd at Conference's Dagenham and Redbridge's ground in a re-arranged fixture that was called off in March, very late I have to add, due to a waterlogged pitch.

Before this column allows you more information on last night's game, you need to be updated on the Reserves last two matches which took place during my house move ie no Chelsea TV and no telephone line.

In the first of the two games, the Reserves won at Crystal Palace 1-0, with Phil Younghusband scoring the only goal, and the team for that game was:

Pidgeley, Hutchinson, Pettigrew (c), Mancienne, Elmer, J Smith (Fernandes h/t), Cork, Simmonds, F Ferreira (Cummings 75), P Younghusband (Bertrand 90+1), Sinclair.

Then in the second of the two games, against the reserves of Southampton and at home (Aldershot Town FC, The Rec) Southampton won 1-0 against a Chelsea team, consisting of:

Ma Kalambay, D Smith (J Younghusband 56), Cork, Pettigrew (c), Bertrand, J Smith, Diarra, J Simmonds, F Ferreira, P Younghusband (Cummings 78), Sinclair (Grant 68)

At Dagenham last night Chelsea and West Ham fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw which brought the curtain down on a reasonable and successful season for Chelsea Reserves.

As you will see, the team selected last night by coach Mick McGivern was made up of youngsters from the Academy and when they have been called to duty these young boys have not let the coach or the name of Chelsea Football Club down.

Chelsea twice took the lead through Scott Sinclair and Ricardo Fernandes (who scored his first ever reserve team goal) and Scott's goal was his 19th in total for the Academy and Reserves. Theo Walcott where are you??????

As well as the Champions hitting the woodwork at Blackburn, young midfielder Jimmy Smith did the same thing twice during the game. But the praise of the night went to Michael Mancienne who was captain for the night due to injury to Adrian Pettigrew and coach Mick McGivern said ""Adrian Pettigrew had a knock so Michael Mancienne was captain, and he was magnificent, outstanding in the air, on the ground, and with his distribution."

And McGivern's assessment of the game? He said "It was a good end of season game. We had two young teams trying to do the right things on a shocking pitch. It was a stirring finale."

My assessment of the Reserves this season. Well I have seen a lot of games LIVE on Chelsea TV and bearing in mind the majority of players who appear in the Reserve team are young boys - the future of Chelsea Football Club - looks very very safe indeed.

It won't be too much longer before Roman can keep his cheque book safely locked away in his cupboard.

WELL DONE CHELS!!!

40 YEARS A BLUE!