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Arsenal v Chelsea
FA Premier Reserve League
Underhill, Barnet FC
Monday January 26, 2004, kick-off: 7pm
ARSENAL 2
Birchall 17
Spicer 50
CHELSEA 1
Woodards 45
Arsenal Reserves got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Barnet FC on Monday night.
In front of a crowd of 1,700, Eddie Niedzwiecki抯 side went ahead through Adam Birchall but, after Chelsea were reduced to 10 men, the visitors levelled on the stroke of half-time through Danny Woodards?header.
John Spicer restored Arsenal抯 lead five minutes after break and they withstood significant Chelsea pressure to hang on for their first victory in 10 games.
It was a cold night in North London and, during the early stages, Chelsea had the upper hand. However, the closest they came was when free-scoring striker Sebastian Kneissl flashed a header wide.
The young Arsenal side soon fought back and went ahead in the 17th minute. Joe Keenan miscontrolled the ball in the centre circle and Spicer pounced before feeding the ball to Stephen Bradley on the left. He crossed the low into the box for the unmarked Birchall to clip his shot over the advancing keeper.
Arsenal grew in confidence after the goal and began to merit their lead with some slick passing. Their cause was helped eight minutes before the break when Chelsea centre back Steven Watt was dismissed for a challenge on Olafur-Ingi Skulason.
However, the visitors equalized on the half-time whistle when Mbark Boussoufa swung over a free-kick from the right and Woodards rose highest to nod back across the face of goal and into the net.
It did not affect Arsenal抯 youngsters. Nicky Nicolau forced a fine save from Chelsea keeper Yves Makabu-Ma-Kalambay three minutes after the restart. Then, soon afterwards, Birchall went close. From the same move the ball eventually fell to Spicer on the right and his low shot fizzed across the surface, under the keeper and into the net.
Arsenal were now on top. Birchall saw a shot turned aside and Nicolau again scurried up from left back to sting the keeper抯 hands.
However Chelsea stepped up their efforts as the time ticked away. Kneissl turned at the near post to forced sharp save from Arsenal keeper Craig Holloway. In injury time Chelsea skipper Craig Rocastle saw a shot blocked before Sam Oji cleared the danger.
But, in a tight game between two young, committed sides, Arsenal deserved to hold on.
