“Immensely proud” – Millwall U18 joint-boss Chris Perry gives verdict on FA Youth Cup display at Chelsea

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Chris Perry hailed the defensive performance of Millwall’s U18s as they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup quarter-final.

The Lions had 1,000 fans at Stamford Bridge and rose to the occasion against west London opposition who have won the tournament on numerous occasions.

It took a second half goal by Armando Broja to put Millwall out.

Joint-boss Perry said: “I’m hugely proud of the effort and the application the boys put in. To come to a place like this and put on a defensive performance like that – we were outstanding defensively.

“They didn’t cut us open once in open play. We’d only had one or two days to work on what we were trying to do.

“Disappointed in the manner we did concede the goal – but that’s me being a perfectionist I suppose.

“They took on board everything we asked of them. Just a little disappointed how we did when we won the ball back. We were a little rushed in possession and a little nervous. We can be a lot better than that.

“To come here and hold a team that good – they could easily go on and win it – 1-0 and to a set-piece, we can be immensely proud.

“Alex Mitchell was outstanding, our right-side centre-back. He was certainly the best defender on the pitch, if not the best player on the pitch. His one-v-one defending was outstanding, he dominated aerially – he might have done a bit better in the opposition box with a couple of headers.

“The fans were brilliant. They helped immensely. You could hear them from minute one to minute 90 – they were behind us and cheering every challenge and header. Every time we got a corner it was amazing. The boys got a lot from that, it certainly helped them.”