U18s Maintain Unbeaten Campaign

Main Action:

The Under-18s maintained top spot with by gaining a gritty point against a strong Chelsea side on Saturday morning. 

Ollie O’Neill and Jean-Pierre Tiehi put the lads ahead twice before being pegged back by two Chelsea goals in an overall solid performance.

Chelsea started on the front foot and took the game to the boys. Marcel Lewis fired an effort that deflected into the arms of Damian Las.

However, these boys only need one chance. Sylvester Jasper picked up a loose pass and purposefully drove at the defence. He threaded a ball into Ollie O’Neill who did the rest.

It was understandable why the hosts had been involved in so many high-scoring games of late. Their expansive style allowed Sam Iling to get a shot away that wasn’t ever troubling Damian Las.

The second half started in the same fashion. Chelsea dominating possession. Ibane Bowat sliced his clearance that meant Jonathon Page had to intervene by preventing a certain goal. From the resulting set-play Jay Stansfield’s clearance slammed into Charlie Wiggett and into the corner.

The lads responded well and applied pressure of their own. The ball wouldn’t come down for Fabio Carvalho as a sea of bodies got into the path of the shot. The introduction of Jean-Pierre Tiehi gave the Young Whites a new physical outlet.

Stansfield had found chances hard to come by, but he got one from a diagonal pass from Page. Jake Askew got his fingertips to it to push the ball onto the post.

The game ramped up a notch in tempo. Luca Murphy thought he’d scored from a corner that was adjudged to have not crossed the line by the linesman. The lads were rewarded for their persistence with a goal. Jean-Pierre Tiehi made a run to the near post to glance home Carvalho’s cross.

The goal was a wakeup call to the Blues. Armando Broja shrugged off a challenge to find a yard and squeeze a shot low past Damian Las.

Carvalho was looking to take the game to the hosts as he dribbled in-field to send a venomous shot that Askew needed to be at full stretch to push it behind in the last action.

What That Means:

The point keeps the boys in top spot with Brighton losing to Southampton. Should Chelsea win their game in hand, they will move top. 

Notable Talking Points:

• Ollie O’Neill’s goal in the third minute was the first registered shot of the game.

• Sylvester Jasper and Fabio Carvalho stepped back from the Under-23s to be recalled for today’s game.

• Jean-Pierre Tiehi needed only 17 minutes to find the net after coming off the bench.