What a season it’s been. The senior side made it to the Carling Cup final and FA Cup semi-final. The reserves won the southern league title, but lost the play-off final against their northern counterparts, Man Utd, at Old Trafford. And tonight the academy side lost to Chelsea in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final in front of 12,500 mostly Blues fans at Stamford Bridge.

Close, but no cigar at every level this season. Lots and lots to be proud of, but no shortage of heartbreak either.

Kofi Poyser opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a looping header at the near post to finish Simmonds’ right sided cross after good work from Carruthers to find the striker in space. Against the run of play perhaps, but it remained the only goal of the first half.

Chelsea totally dominated the early part of the 2nd half, but it took until the 65th minute before the pressure paid off with Mitrovic capping a flowing move by beating Siegrist at the near post with a low, driven effort.

Darious Darkin came on for Williams – who picked up a knock during the first half – in the 72nd minute and Villa switched to a more attacking formation with 3 up front and for a while it was end to end, but Chelsea eventually pushed back.

With 7 minutes left it was heartbreak for the young Lions when Chelsea captain Coner Clifford surged into space in the middle and hit a 25 yard scorcher that left Siegrist absolutely no chance. Honestly, it was no less than Chelsea deserved.

Villa pushed for a late equaliser and Chelsea, of course, looked to make the most of the space at the back rattling the cross bar with a stinging effort with minutes to spare.

Tony McAndrew threw Arsenio Halfhuid on in place of Bylthe in the 89th minute, but in the end it wasn’t enough. There was an extension to the 4 minutes of added time after Chelsea’s Djalo was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, hopefully it’s nothing too serious.

On balance, Chelsea deserved their win with a team of very technically gifted players, as you’d expect, but our young lions are not without talent and there’s no shortage of spirit and determination. Here’s the names to be looking out for in the future:-

Starting XI
1. Siegrist
2. Berry
3. Deeney (C)
4. Devine (Booked 27′)
5. Williams (off 72′ for Darkin)
6. Blythe (off 89′ for Halfhuid)
7. Carruthers
8. Nelson-Addy
9. Poyser (Goal 32′)
10. Simmonds
11. Roberts (Booked 72′)

Substitutes
12. Johnson
13. Barrett
14. Halfhuid (on 89′ for Blythe)
15. Darkin (on 72′ for Williams)
16. Dyer

Highlights