Reports suggest that The Academy dominated the game and the score could have been bigger save for sloppy finishing and excellent goalkeeping from the Liverpool youngster. Chelsea also have two efforts cleared off the line and young Liam Bridcutt hit the post with a header.

The goal itself came when right-winger Miroslav Stoch produced a diagonal pass to Scott Sinclair on the right, who then beat his marker, cut inside and scored inside the far post.

Academy coach Ruud Kaiser was delighted with the win, but rued all the missed chances.

"We couldn’t finish it off because we didn’t take our chances. And we played five minutes of added time, and in that a deflected shot was well saved by Rhys Taylor, or else we would have had to come away with a draw."

On the overall Academy performance Ruud said "I wanted to play pressure at the right moments. In the preparation it didn’t always work out. We didn’t do it at the right moments, or not all together because one or two didn’t do it, but here they got it right, especially in the first-half.

"And when we got the ball we played in the first-half really well, good football. Jack Cork, Sam Hutchinson and Ryan Bertrand were really strong and good in finding Scott Sinclair and Shaun Cummings.

"We got our wingers in. The goal was a good example. We got Miroslav in, Shaun made a good run which took out a defender, Miroslav hit a terrific ball to Scott Sinclair, one wing to the other, and he was one-on-one with the defender, went past him and scored. Great goal.

"Liverpool played 4-5-1 and they tried to press also, but we were patient, the defenders passed to the midfielders, they brought the full-backs in, and we handled it well. We kept possession."

The Academy's next game is at home to Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday at Cobham, kick off 11pm.

Academy (4-2-1-3): Taylor; Ofori-Twamasi, Hutchinson, Cork (c), Bertrand; Bridcutt, Woods (Sawyer 63); Fernandes; Stoch (Tejera 90), Cummings (Sahar 87), Sinclair.

COME ON CHELSEA

41 YEARS A BLUE