Jolley impressed with 'vital' Premier League Cup victory

Michael Jolley has described the development squad's progression in the Premier League Cup as 'vital' after the Clarets dumped Harry Kewell's Watford youngsters out of the competition.
Turf MoorTurf Moor
Turf Moor

Goals from defender Jimmy Dunne and Chelsea loan man Patrick Bamford, either side of Kevin Long's dismissal, ensured that the under 23's advanced to the group stages where they'll be joined by rivals Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Cardiff City.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It’s vital for us because we’re still outside the mainstream games programme so our lads need proper competitive football," he said. "If we can’t get that via a loan then we have to get it ourselves and this gives us six good games to prepare for and look forward too."

The hosts played with a numerical disadvantage for over an hour of the tie after Long saw red for committing a professional foul on Hornets striker Ogo Obi.

And Jolley confessed that he was extremely impressed with the way that the 10 men saw the game out at Turf Moor.

" The sending off made it really difficult for us, an hour with 10 men, so it was great we had our noses in front by then and then I thought the lads performed really diligently and were disciplined to see it out and get the second goal as well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It’s a big ask to play with 10 men for an hour against anyone and they’re a Premier League football club with some good players who moved the ball well at times.

"We asked the lads to work from the shape and press and be really organised and I think they did that, we’ve limited them to very few chances in the end even then on the counter we had some good chances."

He added: "We are a club that works very hard without the ball which comes from the manager and the first team down. The young players have to be able to do that.

"Even though we lost a player it was the same requirement in making sure that we kept our shape, kept pressing, kept organised and then when we got the ball we looked for chances to counter attack. I thought we did that well."