This F.A. Youth cup game was played before a 1,500 attendance, after being postponed nine days earlier through the ground being unfit.

The Young Pensioners won that earlier clash by 2-1 and they completed a double by secring a 3-1 nargin in this second meeting. However, it was unanimously agreed that lost chances cost us the verdict on this occasion, as from the territorial point of view we had more of the play than our opponents (indicated by our 10-4 margin of corner-kicks).

All three of the Chelsea goals came from opportunist efforts. The first in the opening minute, was the outcome of a long pass to the right winger, who raced away to the goal-line and pulled the ball into the centre for Allen to side-foot it home. Right winger Baker also had a hand in the other two, as on each occasion he sent in a shot from an angle which Rhodes could only parry, and Nicholas (40 mins) and Allen (74 mins) added the finishing touch.

Despite the disappointment of having a first minute goal against them, our youngsters were on equal terms in the fifth minute, Fenn lobbing the ball over the advancing goalkeeper's head after good approach work by Obeney and Barrick. From thence onwards until the visitors again went ahead the Hammers were on top, Obeney and Pyke opening up the play with some excellent through-passes. However, we failed to capitalise on these, even to the extent of missing a glorious opportunity to equalise after the interval and consequently paid the penalty.