Chelsea Reserves 4 v 0 Crystal Palace Reserves

PALACE'S second string could not return to winning ways in the Barclays Premiership Reserve League South as they came up against an in-form Chelsea.

Both sides were full of youngsters but it was Palace who had the best of the early exchanges.

However, after 17 minutes Chelsea took the lead through a fantastic volley from captain Danny Hollands.

Palace very nearly hit back through Lewis Grabban but his shot flew just wide.

Soon after half-time Chelsea extended their lead when Michael Mancienne headed in from a corner.

Chelsea should have been two up much earlier but Rikki Banks pulled off a marvellous save to deny James Simmonds.

On the hour Chelsea scored their third from a Joe Tillen strike and as the end of the game substitute Scott Sinclair headed in a fourth.

Palace are now ninth in the Barclays Premiership Reserve League South and they will be looking to end their run of defeats in their next match away at Coventry City on December 20.

Palace: Banks; Starkey; Hudson (Swaibu, 70); Wilson; Fray; Berry; Welch (Straker, 86); R Hall; Black; Grabban; Macken (Spence, 70).

Subs not used: Wilkinson; Peltonen.