The Under 18s performed well in their last league match before the FA Youth Cup begins on Thursday, coming back from an early goal conceded with some good strikes.

Several of the more experienced players dropped down from the reserve squad in preparation for the trip to Old Trafford, a game that can be seen live on Chelsea TV.

However despite those names added to the team travelling to Charlton, the young Blues conceded after just six minutes when caught on the ball in midfield and out of position at the back.

After a shaky opening quarter-of-an-hour, Chelsea started to improve and on 25 minutes, striker Fabio Borini won a free-kick 25 yards out and centre-back Jeffery Bruma stepped up and whipped the ball over the wall. It crashed back off the crossbar and Jacob Mellis followed in and volleyed it home to make it 1-1.

Borini went close five minutes later, the Italian shielding the ball from a central defender before hooking a shot over his shoulder which the keeper saved.

Then on 43 minutes Chelsea went ahead with a really good goal. Nikki Ahamed came inside from right-back and fed a pass between Charlton full-back and centre-back. Borini timed his run perfectly and finished into the roof of the net.

The Blues made it 3-1 on 50 minutes, Frank Nouble from out on the left whipping a curling shot towards the corner which the keeper saved, only for Jacopo Sala to follow up and knock in.

The fourth came on 73 minutes when the ball was worked out of a tight spot in the left corner and laid to the edge of the box. Mellis dummied the pass to leave it for Daniel Philliskirk who hit a first time right-foot shot into the bottom left corner - a very good goal.

Charlton closed the gap with a breakaway but too late to threaten the victory.

Youth team manager Paul Clement reports:

'It was a slow start and for the first 15 minutes we weren't at the races. Charlton were getting close to us, pressing and we were making a lot of errors.

'Then we got going and it was a good time to go 2-1 ahead, just before the break.

'At half time we emphasised the importance of starting well which meant playing how we ended the first half, not how we started it, and there was a really good response from the players.

'We continued to control the game, play some good football but at 4-1 made a few changes, lost concentration for a moment and they got a goal back.

'But it was a pleasing performance in the middle hour of the game and we are in good form with four wins and one draw in five league games.

'It gives us confidence going into the game on Thursday and it was a chance to have players together and work on a few things.'

Team (4-3-3): Niclas Heimann; Nikki Ahamed, Rohan Ince, Jeffrey Bruma (Billy-Joe King), Ben Gordon; Jacob Mellis (Josh McEachran), Gaël Kakuta, Daniel Phillskirk (c); Jacopo Sala (Billy Knott), Fabio Borini, Frank Nouble.


Chelsea TV's live coverage Thursday's FA Youth Cup tie between Chelsea and Manchester United at Old Trafford begins at 6.15pm.