Chelsea 3-0 Reserves FT

Barclays Premier Reserve League
Griffin Park
Kick-off: 7pm

Match preview I Table I Fixtures and results

FULL TIME - 3-0

The final whistle goes at Griffin Park. Early goals in each half did the damage from Claudio Pizarro and Fabio Ferreira respectively before substitute Jack Saville wrapped up the home side's win. Kevin Keen's men had won their five previous fixtures but the youngsters on view found it tough going against an experienced team. Despite the scoreline, there was no doubting the effort put in and the likes of Junior Stanislas and Jordan Spence were impressive given they played for the U18s as well just two days ago.

90min - We are playing two minutes of added time. The fourth official had originally put up five minutes on the board much to the crowd's surprise. Cummings has gone down with cramp so there is a break in play.

89min - West Ham United will lose top spot in the southern section of the Barclays Premier Reserve League tonight. Aston Villa have won 1-0 at home against Birmingham City and will go two points clear with two games in hand as well. Keen's men have just two more fixtures to play.

86min - Spence slides in for another tackle. Despite the scoreline, the youngster has worked hard - especially given he was up against Pizarro for much of the contest and also played a full 90 minutes for the U18s on Saturday.

83min - Edgar is fouled by Younghusband in midfield. A chance to get something going but the attack breaks down when Shaun Cummings nips in to deny Collison in an advanced position.

79min - The game is all about long-range shooting now. Stokes has a go from distance but is off target. It was his last contribution as he comes off to be replaced by Oliver Lee.

78min - Di Santo tries his luck from range. Walker parries it to safety.

77min - Sidwell fires wide after Stokes loses possession in the centre circle. Walker was never worried.

75min - GOAL! - Saville scores with his first touch. The replacement meets Younghusband's free-kick with aplomb and gives Walker no chance from close range.

74min - Joe Widdowson is penalised for a foul in a dangerous position. Before the free-kick is taken, Pizarro makes way for Jack Saville. 

72min - A chance for Camara to run through but Ivanovic, on his first appearance for Chelsea at any level, is able to get the ball away. The Serbian international is tipped for a bright future having signed in the winter transfer window from Lokomotiv Moscow. 

68min - Spence and 'Gala have coped well this half so far with the Chelsea attackers but chances at the other end are still at a premium. Keen's side have been without James Tomkins and Freddie Sears tonight, two players who have done much to help the team to the top of the table before this evening's contest.

65min - Although outnumbered by Chelsea fans, Bubbles rings out around Griffin Park as Stanislas fires in an effort. The No9 followed up after his initial shot was blocked but could only watch as it fizzed wide of the goal.

63min - Daniel Philliskirk, an England youth international signed from Oldham Athletic last summer, is on for Fernandes.

61min - Camara is working hard but has not had much service this evening. The Chelsea midfield have made their superior experience count.

59min - Edgar is on for Kearns.

58min - Pizarro surges forward with Kearns chasing. He feeds Younghusband but his cross goes straight into Walker's grateful grasp.

56min - Kearns wins a corner with more positive play but the set-piece comes to nothing after Stanislas fails to get the ball beyond the man at the near post.

54min - A superb tackle by Collison wins possession in midfield. The captain tracked back well and is working hard against some experienced midfielders.  Magnay is off for Chelsea to be replaced by Tom Taiwo.

52min - Fernandes wins a corner after his shot was deflected over by Stokes. Chelsea are piling on the pressure although Walker's comfortable claim brings another attack to an end.

49min - GOAL! - Ferreira makes it two with a low shot that gave Walker no chance. The attacker set himself well to wrongfoot 'Gala before lashing into the corner of the net.

48min - Stanislas wins a corner from Carl Magnay. The West Ham United winger was set away by a good ball from Stokes. Chelsea eventually get the ball away though from the set-piece. A quick Chelsea break is halted by a Kearns foul.

47min - Ryan O'Neill is on for Miller by the way. The half-time change is the only intervention by either manager.

46min - Chelsea get us under way. The home side had the edge in the first half but that was perhaps to be expected by a starting eleven featuring not one youth player as opposed to the visitors, who had the Spence, 'Gala, Miller, Kearns and Stanislas playing for the Under-18s on Saturday.  

HALF-TIME: 1-0

45min - Younghusband is fouled on the edge of the area. He takes the free-kick himself and sends it way over Walker's crossbar.

45min - We are playing two minutes of added time.

44min - West Ham United are finishing well, with midfield duo Collison and Hales growing in confidence. Keen will believe his side can come back into it in the second 45 - provided they keep out the Chelsea attackers in the time remaining.

42min - Free-kick won well by Kearns on the left wing. The 16-year-old Northern Irish youth international is growing into the game. Stanislas takes it and yet again he finds his man. This time he picks out 'Gala but the ball drops to a Chelsea defender.

40min - Well played by Stokes in a defensive position. He has dropped back into his more familiar midfield role as the game has worn on, leaving Camara as a lone striker.

38min - Miller is given a talking to by the referee for another foul. The United full-back is certainly up for the challenge. The resulting free-kick is allowed to go all the way through to Walker but the danger is eventually cleared.

36min - Daniel Kearns, a late change in the starting eleven for Anthony Edgar, tracks back well to help clear the danger. Chelsea are soon on the attack again though and a quick break ends with Di Santo just heading over from five yards out. 

34min - MIller is adjudged to have fouled Phil Younghusband. The referee tried to play the advantage but brought the play back.

32min - Stanislas is clearly the outstanding performer for the visitors so far and his willingness to take the ball under pressure and beat his man is helping Keen's men work their way back into the contest.

30min - So close from Lee Hales. The midfielder was picked out superbly by Stanislas after he deceived Ivanovic on the right wing. Searle only just managed to tip the ball behind for a corner. From the resulting flag-kick, Stanislas finds Stokes but his header is straight at the grateful goalkeeper.

29min - Delightful play by Stanislas leaves Sidwell in his wake. However, the ball runs to Camara and he is unable to beat Ivanovic.

27min - A brave block by 'Gala stops Di Santo's shot from making it through to Walker. It was a fierce effort and could have troubled the keeper had it gone past.

26min - Pizarro curls one just over the bar after a driving run forward by Sidwell.

24min - Aston Villa, a point behind leaders United with two games in hand, have gone 1-0 up in their match against Birmingham City.

23min - 'Gala tricks his way out of defence with good close skill - he leaves Pizarro and Sidwell in his wake before being fouled.

21min - Collison is up against Steve Sidwell tonight. It will be a good test of the youngster's progress although the Chelsea man perhaps has the upper hand at the moment.

20min - Fabio Ferreira wins a corner on the right wing. From it, Jimmy Walker makes two outstanding saves from close range - the first from Jimmy Smith, the second from the experienced Branislav Ivanovic. The goalkeeper is keeping Kevin Keen's men in it at the moment.

19min - Great save by Walker from Di Santo after a surging break. The goalkeeper did not know that the Chelsea attacker had strayed offside and got a good palm on to the ball from close range. 

17min - Di Santo lashes one high and wide after a quick Chelsea counterattack.

16min - Stokes curls one just wide of Searle's goal. In truth, the keeper was never troubled.

15min - Ashley Miller is also shaking his head after a collision of his own with Di Santo. The home side are proving physical.

14min - Chelsea are getting lots of the ball in midfield. A dangerous attack ends with the referee blowing up for a clash of heads involving Spence. The 17-year-old England Under-19 defender is a bit dazed at the moment after the clash with Franco Di Santo.

12min - Good save by Walker to keep out a long-ranger from Pizarro. The international striker is proving a handful.

10min - The corner is taken short but eventually Stanislas crosses for Stokes to head at goal. However, he cannot get any pace on the ball and Searle claims with ease.

9min - Stanislas wins a corner on the left after another driving run up the flank.

7min - GOAL! - Pizarro has time to shoot beyond Walker from the left of goal. The move began with a long ball forward by goalkeeper Stuart Searle and Ricardo Fernandes flicked the ball on just in front of 'Gala into the Peruvian striker's path.

6min - Camara fires over with a half-chance from the edge of the area. It came after good work on the left wing by Junior Stanislas who found Stokes and he in turn laid it off for his strike-partner.

3min - Chelsea hit the ball long looking for Claudio Pizarro but it runs through to Jimmy Walker. The 29-year-old Pizarro will provide a stern test for Jordan Spence and Bondz 'Gala having made his name with Bayern Munich and been capped more than 50 times by Peru.

1min - Captain Jack Collison fires just over the bar with just 34 seconds gone. It came after good play from Camara before the Senegal forward touched the ball back to the on-rushing midfielder.

1min - Tony Stokes and Henri Camara get us under way on a clear evening in west London.

Kick-off

Chelsea: Stuart Searle, Carl Magnay (Tom Taiwo 54), Branislav Ivanovic, Jimmy Smith, Shaun Cummings, Steve Sidwell, Fabio Ferreira, Phil Younghusband, Franco Di Santo, Claudio Pizarro (Jack Saville 74), Ricardo Fernandes (Daniel Philliskirk 63)
Subs: Niclas Heimann

West Ham United: Jimmy Walker, Ashley Miller (Ryan O'Neill 46), Jordan Spence, Bondz 'Gala, Joe Widdowson, Junior Stanislas, Lee Hales, Jack Collison, Daniel Kearns (Anthony Edgar 59), Tony Stokes (Oliver Lee 79), Henri Camara
Subs (from): Adam Street, Tom Harvey, Tony Brookes.