By Since66
May 5 2010
After an enthralling and entertaining FA Youth Cup Final 2nd Leg at Stamford Bridge last night, Chelsea won their first youth trophy in 49 years as they came back from a goal down to win the match 2-1 (3-2) on aggregate in front of a crowd of over 10,000.
I don't think captain Conor Clifford knows how to score simple goals. With five minutes remaining (and extra-time looming) he picked up a pass from Josh McEachran in midfield and struck a glorious 25 yarder which beat Villa's Siegrist all ends up at The Shed End.
It was a goal that the late great King of Stamford Bridge, Peter Osgood would have been proud off and its not the first time he has struck a shot as sweet as that - Conor scored one similar - in the fourth round at Nottingham Forest.
Both of Chelsea's goals came in the second-half after Villa's Kofi Poyser put the visitors ahead with a sweet header from a Simmonds cross on Villa's right in the first-half, sending the small band of travelling Villa fans, wild with delight.
Chelsea's equaliser after periods of intense pressure came after Sala sent in a near post cross for Mitrovic to get a touch. The seemed to take an age to roll into the net after Siegrist's leg slowed down its progress.
Siegrist was the busier of the two 'keepers saving well from Deen-Conteh piledriver, Mitrovic had an effort cleared off the line, Siegrist saved well again from Sala and Sam Walker made an exceptional save denying Villa's Simmonds.
Coach Dermot Drummy said at the final whistle, "It was a great Youth Cup Final over two legs.
"Full credit to Aston Villa, they performed very well and scored with a great header. The game was played in the right spirit, there was no moaning at the referee and the Villa coaches were very complimentary about us at the end and that was nice.
"Villa were really dogged but we performed fantastically in the second-half to come back with two goals and hopefully everyone who came and the people who watched on Chelsea TV will have looked at it and said we play entertaining football."
Before the nights events it was agreed between the two clubs that the result would stand for points in the Academy League.
So not only did Chelsea lift the Youth Cup for the first time in 49 years, they also picked up three points too.
Chelsea: Sam Walker, Billy Clifford, Rohan Ince, Jeffrey Bruma, Aziz Deen-Conteh, Aliu 'Kaby' Djalo (George Saville 90), Josh McEachran, Conor Clifford (c), Jacopo Sala, Marko Mitrovic, Gokhan Tore (Milan Lalkovic 88)
Aston Villa: Benjamin Siegrist, Durrell Berry, Daniel Devine, Derrick Williams (Darius Darkin 71), Ellis Deeney, Ebby Nelson-Addy, Richard Blythe (Arsenio Halfhuid 87), Samir Carruthers, Tomos Roberts, Ryan Simmonds, Kofi Poyser.
