By The Kid
August 11 2005

Chelsea Reserves warmed up for their first Premier League Game versus Tottenham next Monday with a 1-0 victory in a lunchtime friendly against QPR yesterday. The only goal of the game was scored by a half time substitute James Simmonds who netted from close range.

Coach Mick McGiven said: "We had some good attacking play down the left involving Joe Tillen and Jonas Elmer who could have shot but squared the ball well and Simmo had an easy opportunity."

Unfortunately Chelsea had to make a double substitution after just 15 minutes when goalkeeper Yves Makabu-Ma Kalambay and central defender Steven Watt collided, and both had to come off. Watt has been called up by Scotland Under 21s next week and work is already going on to try and get him fit for that.

Chelsea could and should have doubled the lead soon after taking it. More substitutes were involved. Mick reported: "Ricardo Fernandes played an excellent through ball for Fabio Ferreira who was brought down in the box for a penalty kick." Fernandes and Ferreira are the two 16 year olds signed from Sporting Lisbon this summer.

"For the second successive match," Mick lamented, "we missed a penalty. This time it was Jimmy Smith who hit the keeper!"Team Ma Kalambay (Hamann); D Smith, Pettigrew, Watt (J Younghusband), Tillen; J Smith, Grant, Hollands (c) (Fernandes); F Morais (Watkins), P Younghusband (Simmonds), Elmer (Ferreira).

The match against Tottenham will be played at the Recreation Ground, Aldershot kicking off at 7pm. As usual Chelsea TV will be covering all reserve games live.