Reserves Beaten On Tour

[EskWeston 696]

It isn't just the first team who have been travelling this pre-season. Chelsea's reserves were beaten 3-2 by NK Maribor in Slovenia on Wednesday evening. Reserve manager Brendan Rodgers has taken his squad to Slovenia for a training camp, which he reports has been highly successful, before meeting the country's top side in a friendly at their home stadium, the Stadion Ljudski, in front of 7,000 people.

Maribor have competed in the Champions League in recent seasons, but the size of the task did not daunt the young Blues, despite falling 2-0 behind before the break, the first of which came directly from a corner.

At half-time, Chelsea rallied and pulled a goal back through a superb effort from centre-forward for the evening, Miroslav Stoch (pictured), before the same player laid on a superb assist for substitute Jacob Mellis to equalise.

The second string were playing some superb football, and looked the more likely to grab a winner against their more seasoned opponents, already five weeks into their domestic campaign.

Sadly though, it was the hosts who grabbed a late winner on the break with two minutes remaining, but the score line was no major disappointment for Rodgers.

'We have had a fantastic time working here in what is a lovely country,' he said on Thursday. 'We have had some really good days training and being together as a group, and to cap it off played against one of Slovenia's top teams in a great atmosphere.

'We played some very good football during the game and I am very pleased with how the boys did. Overall it has been a successful trip, and we now look ahead to the start of our season.'

Chelsea team (4-3-3): Rhys Taylor; Nana Ofori-Twumasi (sub Carl Magnay), Jeffrey Bruma, Michael Mancienne, Patrick van Aanholt (sub Tom Taiwo); Liam Bridcutt ©, Jack Cork, Michael Woods (sub Jacob Mellis); Fabio Ferreira, Miroslav Stoch, Lee Sawyer (sub Ricardo Fernandes).

Source: Chelsea FC

[Elliott 7]

That's not a bad result at all really, they're one of the best Slovenian sides, probably comparable to a Championship side.

[EskWeston 696]

That's not a bad result at all really, they're one of the best Slovenian sides, probably comparable to a Championship side.

Yup a pretty decent reslut in the end. Having the experience of Mancienne and Cork will have helped them out considerably. Stoch having a very good pre season so far as well which is good to see.