27 February 2008
VIDEO: Sixth Round - Port Vale 2-5 Chelsea

Watch the highlights from Chelsea's drubbing of Port Vale - look out for a hat-trick from rising star Gael Kakuta.

Port Vale

2-5

Chelsea

Crompton 54, Glover 82

 

Kakuta 12, 26, 67, Nielson 50, Stoch 68


The FA Youth Cup Sponsored by E.ON
Sixth Round Proper 
Tuesday 26 February 2008
Vale Park, Port Vale FC
Click here for Sixth Round ties

Chelsea’s young stars brought some much needed cheer to Stamford Bridge just 48 hours after their older club-mates were left heartbroken at Wembley.

While John Terry and Co licked their wounds from Sunday’s League Cup Final defeat, the Blues’ starlets cruised into the Semi-Finals of a competition they have not won for 47 years. If they can replicate this brand of slick football four more times in the competition then a trophy might be on the way to West London after all.

Gael Kakuta helped himself to a hat-trick while there were further goals for Morten Nielsen and the lively Miroslav Stoch – a pacey winger with more tricks than Paul Daniels.

The home side ensured the scoreline did not become embarrassing with two goals themselves, but Chelsea were a class apart.

The players walked out to Elvis Presley’s ‘The Wonder of You’ and it wasn’t long until the large crowd were left marvelling at the wonder of blue following a dazzling opening bombardment from Chelsea.

On a cold and windy evening in Staffordshire, it would have taken the Vale defence just minutes to realise the gargantuan task that lay ahead of them.

With Frank Nouble and Stoch causing havoc on the flanks the Vale full-backs looked set for a difficult night. But Chelsea are powerful through the middle too with Kakuta’s bright orange boots almost as sparkling as his finishing.

He gave an early warning of his talent when he dragged a shot just wide before Nielsen sent a shot straight down the throat of the overworked Chris Martin. There were barely ten minutes on the clock when Stoch had Chelsea’s third chance but he planted it just wide.

Kakuta had no such troubles with his shooting, the Frenchman handing Chelsea the lead with a clever finish on the turn after Stoch’s corner was not cleared.

The home fans booed as Chelsea celebrated – unsurprising as everyone loves an upset – but the visitors were in no mood to acquiesce.

After Nouble crashed a volley just wide and Patrick Van Aanholt blazed over, it was soon 2-0.

Fans were still queuing outside Vale Park when Kakuta volleyed home his second of the game but the groans from within the ground would have told them the sorry tale.

Nouble left two defenders in his wake before centring to Nielsen who helped the ball on to Kakuta who smashed the ball into the roof of the net, almost decapitating Martin in the process.

Vale rallied after the break with Danny Glover unfortunate to see his curling shot drift agonisingly wide after a powerful run from right-back Danny Edwards.

Back came Chelsea to make it 3-0. Vale’s defence made a mess of clearing their lines after Kakuta bundled through and Nielsen made them pay with a low shot into the corner.

Jonathan Crompton, Vale’s match-winner against Spurs in the previous round, gave the home fans something to cheer when he converted from the spot after Jeffrey Bruma had fouled James Lawrie.

But it would be Chelsea’s night.

Kakuta tapped home Nielsen’s shot from close range on 67 minutes before Stoch finally got the goal he deserved a minute later, angling a shot into the bottom corner past the exposed Martin.

While Chelsea could look forward to a meeting with Aston Villa, Vale sent their fans home happy when Glover drilled home a free-kick with eight minutes left on the clock.

Port Vale: 1 Chris Martin, 2 Danny Edwards, 3 Sean Pike, 4 Paul Dixon (17 Jordan Ranch, 90 mins), 5 Jonathan Crompton, 6 Jamie Elwell, 7 Luke Chapman (16 Will Brown, 70 mins), 8 Ross Davidson, 9 James Lawrie, 10 Danny Glover, 11 Anthony Malbon (14 James Beeston, 76 mins)

Subs Not Used: 12 Lloyd Ransome, 15 Sam Lovatt

Chelsea: 1 Rhys Taylor, 2 Seth Nana Ofori Twumasi, 3 Jeffery Bruma, 4 Patrick Van Aanholt, 5 Benjamin Gordon, 6 Michael Woods, 7 Frank Nouble (15 Adam Phillip, 69 mins) 8 Sergio Tejera Rodriguez (12 Jacob Mellis, 57 mins, 14 Tom Taiwo, 83 mins), 9 Morten Nielsen, 10 Gael Kakuta, 11 Miroslav Stoch

Subs Not Used: 13 Niclas Heimann, 16 Daniel Philliskirk

Attendance: 3,628