Premier League 2 Match Report - Chelsea 2 Derby County 0

Chelsea 2 Derby County 0

Our development squad earned their first win of the campaign at Stamford Bridge as they battled hard to beat Derby County in Premier League 2.
There was little to separate the two sides in the first half before Reece James and Luke McCormick combined to make the difference. McCormick first delivered a right-sided corner that James converted from close range before the midfielder turned goalscorer in stoppage time with a composed finish.
The victory was the development squad’s first of the new season and took them to the top of the early Division One table.
Edwards made two changes from our last outing, a midweek draw at Plymouth Argyle in the Checkatrade Trophy, as goalkeeper Marcin Bulka and Jacob Maddox came into the side. The Blues also reverted to 3-4-3 and lined up with James, Joseph Colley and Ethan Ampadu across the backline, while Dujon Sterling and Cole Dasilva continued at wing-back.
After a productive cameo up front against the Pilgrims that garnered a second-half brace, Callum Hudson-Odoi was selected to lead the line supported by Isaac Christie-Davies and Maddox. McCormick and skipper Ruben Sammut anchored the team in central midfield.
The Rams included three ‘over-age’ players in their starting line-up as 33-year-old Jason Shackell began at centre-back, while George Thorne started in midfield. Both were continuing the later stages of rehabilitation following injury layoffs.

Callum Hudson-Odoi challenges for the ball in the first half.

Derby threatened with the evening’s first chance after just six minutes as a corner from the right was swung into the six-yard box and drifted all the way through to Ethan Wassall at the far post. The defender’s strike was certain to test Bulka but for a brave block by Colley.
The hosts advanced down the left for their opening opportunity with neat combination play between Hudson-Odoi and Dasilva setting the latter clear to deliver. His low cross was met at the front post by the run of McCormick but the midfielder’s attempt to strike at goal was smothered behind and the following corner came to nothing.
In the opposite penalty area, James made a crucial headed intervention to flick a deep free-kick away from danger with attackers lurking in wait behind him but clear-cut chances were at a premium for both sides in the first period.
Lacking their usual cutting-edge in possession, the Blues found it difficult to consistently threaten the Derby goal. Hudson-Odoi was the danger man, as he was in Devon three days previously, and his jinking run into the box caused problems but Kelle Roos in the away goal comfortably gathered the 16-year-old’s looping deflected shot.
Edwards will have demanded more from his young charges during the half-time interval and they reappeared for the second period with renewed energy and purpose. Offrande Zanzala was in action in both boxes early after the restart as he cleared the danger following Ampadu’s header before a curling strike was plucked out of the air by Bulka.

The players celebrate as Reece James opens the scoring.

The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour mark and it arrived through the most basic of routines. McCormick’s corner in front of the Matthew Harding stand was floated into the front-post area and James finished clinically from close range.
Our task evolved into protecting the advantage and learning the lessons from Plymouth’s late fightback on Tuesday evening, during which we conceded two late goals to surrender two points. Edwards introduced Josh Grant at left wing-back to shore up the defence but needed to call on his goalkeeper to keep the lead intact.
Bulka first made an important punch clear as Elsnik’s cross spun towards goal before the Polish stopper thwarted the Rams captain again moments later with a sliding challenge using his feet. In the resulting melee, Jakobsen fired narrowly wide of the left upright and Bulka subsequently called for treatment after injuring himself in the action.
The defensive efforts of Edwards’s side were becoming increasingly last-ditch as the clock ticked towards full-time. McCormick saved a certain equaliser by blocking Jakobsen’s shot up on to the crossbar and then bravely heading clear the rebound as it looped down in front of goal.
Derby’s late rally was deflated somewhat in the final minutes when Calum MacDonald was shown a second booking for a clear handball as McCormick looked to send Sterling away down the right flank. Roos denied Hudson-Odoi before McCormick’s all-action, eventful evening continued as he fired wide from 15 yards before sealing the points in stoppage time.

Substitute Miro Muheim advanced down the right and found the midfielder with a pass into the middle, with the 18-year-old latching on to the ball neatly before dispatching a composed finish into the back of the net for his first goal at this age group.

McCormick caps an all-action display with our second goal in stoppage time. Picture courtesy of Mark Sandom.

Chelsea (3-4-3) Marcin Bulka; Reece James, Joseph Colley, Ethan Ampadu; Dujon Sterling, Ruben Sammut (c) (Jordan Houghton 61), Luke McCormick, Cole Dasilva (Josh Grant 75); Jacob Maddox (Miro Muheim 61), Callum Hudson-Odoi, Isaac Christie-Davies
Unused subs James Russell, Charlie Brown
Scorers James 63; McCormick 90+2
Booked Houghton

Derby County Kelle Roos, Kyron Stabana, Calum MacDonald, George Thorne (Joe Bateman h/t), Ethan Wassall, Jason Shackell (Alex Cover 61), Kellan Gordon, Timi-Max Elsnik (c), Emil Jakobsen, Alex Babos, Offrande Zanzala (Luke Thomas 73)
Unused subs Josh Barnes, Sven Karic
Booked MacDonald
Sent off MacDonald

Referee Gary Parsons

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