Chelsea scored four and could have had more, with Mothersille, Leo Castledine, Thomas, Soonsup-Bell, Charlie Webster, and Edwin Andersson all denied further goals as Ed Brand's side got their Youth Cup campaign up and running in style. The young Blues will now prepare for a trip to Vicarage Road as they play Watford in the next round.

Team news

With Harvey Vale not available for selection, Alfie Gilchrist was announced as captain of the side. The line-up saw a blend of players who have been involved in the Under-18 Premier League as well as the Premier League 2 competition.

Superiority

The game began with our boys asserting their dominance over proceedings. Webster whipped a left-footed effort towards goal and with the keeper rooted it smacked the left-hand post.

The opening five minutes was played predominantly in the Orient half, as we searched for the early goal in this one. Another opportunity was created by our side with good work down the right which ended with Thomas delivering a fine floated ball towards the back post. It found Mothersille who planted his header onto the post.

Another chance was fashioned as good work in the middle by Webster and Mothersille allowed the latter to be played in down the wing. The attacker put in a delightful cross which found Soonsup-Bell but the keeper, with an outstretched leg, made a fine stop.

It seemed like the right-hand side was going to be our route to goal as again Thomas was given time and space to deliver a cross and once again Mothersille was the man who got his head to it, this time heading over.

With the pressure proving far too much for Orient to contain, Mothersille finally got his goal. Interestingly, the ball was delivered from the left-hand side by Andersson, whose lovely cross was bundled home by Mothersille.

More goals

We doubled our lead in the 25th minute of the game following a period of possession as Soonsup-Bell expertly finished beating the keeper at his near post after a Lewis Hall cross.

Orient settled into the game but struggled to fashion any clear-cut chances. There were a couple pot shots and an effort from a free-kick which Adegoke collected easily.

We scored our third of the game courtesy of a fantastic Thomas effort. After an intricate pass inside from Hughes, Thomas let the ball roll across his body and smashed a left-footed effort into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance.

Chance after chance

Our young Blues started the second half with the same intensity as we played the first and the exciting Thomas again delivered a great cross which Castledine failed to make connection with. The ball fell to Andersson who fired over from close range.

Five minutes later, Soonsup-Bell, after a clever dummy, beat his man and broke through on goal. Unfortunately, his effort was straight at Orient keeper Noah Phillips, who smothered the ball away.

Despite being comfortably ahead, Brand will have been frustrated with his side’s lack of clinical edge as another chance went begging. Andersson latched onto a loose ball. He cut it back for Castledine but he side-footed his effort over the bar.

Almost instantly, Orient grabbed a goal back and deservedly so for their hard work. Their best player on the day Jephte Tanga arrowed a right-footed shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

Orient showed good spirit and fight following their goal, putting our boys under pressure but we finally did get our fourth of the game as substitute Abu was on hand to head home from a left-footed Castledine cross.

We managed the game well as it ended 4-1, which sees us look forward to a tie against Watford in the fourth round of the competition.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Prince Adegoke; Brodie Hughes, Alfie Gilchrist (c), Luke Badley-Morgan; Silko Thomas, Charlie Webster, Lewis Hall (Sam Rak-Sakyi 83), Edwin Andersson (Zain Silcott-Duberry 77); Malik Mothersille (Derrick Abu 69), Leo Castledine, Jude Soonsup-Bell.

Unused Subs: Sami Tlemcani, Ronnie Stutter, Louis Flower, Ted Curd.Booked: Alfie Gilchrist 53Scorers: Malik Mothersille 19, Jude Soonsup-Bell 25, Silko Thomas 37, Derrick Abu

Leyton Orient (3-4-3): Noah Phillips; Shimron Eaton, Emmanuel Kwatchey, Emmanuel Harvest, Mert Apat, Zecharia Obiero, Jephte Tanga, Antonio Clements, Reon Smith-Kouassi (Ebraima Davies 69), Daniel Nkrumah (c), Charlie Pegrum.

Unused Subs: Henry Sworder, Reggie Pegrum, Ayo Ojo, Thomas Avgoustidis, Ashley Koroma.Scorers: Jephte Tanga 64