06/11/2002  Chelsea 2 Gillingham 1
 
Carlton Cole gave a stunning reminder to Sven-Goran 
Eriksson of England's depth in teenage talent with a superb 
demonstration of striking skills at Stamford Bridge 
tonight.

Cole might be an old stager at 19 compared to Everton's 
precocious Wayne Rooney but in his first start of the season 
he showed exactly why they are purring about his prospects in 
the blue half of London.

Cole scored two goals, one with his feet and the other with 
his head, to make a formality of this Worthington Cup 
third-round tie which the Premiership side dominated much more 
than the tight scoreline suggests.

His performance was all the more commendable when you 
consider it was his first match since August when he suffered 
a hairline crack to a leg in training.

But if Cole was the goal star then a man old enough to be 
his dad, 36-year-old Gianfranco Zola, also proved that age 
barely matters when it comes to footballing style, the little 
Italian giving another masterclass in striking technique and 
sheer energy in a season which is becoming something of an 
Indian summer in his illustrious career.

The teams were separated by 28 places in the Football 
League and at times it looked an even wider gulf.

At least, however, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri was 
taking the competition seriously, something which can't be 
said of all Premiership sides this season.

Ranieri made just four changes from the team which drew 0-0 
with Tottenham on Sunday.

Frenchman Marcel Desailly was among those rested along with 
Mario Melchiot.

Emmanuel Petit started on the bench and Jimmy Hasselbaink 
was sidelined with an ankle injury he suffered at the 
weekend.

"I have always played a strong team in the Worthington Cup 
since I have been at Chelsea," wrote Ranieri in the match 
programme.

"It is important for us to maintain the right concentration 
and the right attitude. Last year we lost the semi-final 
against Tottenham and this year we want to go further."

It is a refreshing attitude, especially as the Chelsea 
starting line-up included five Englishmen in Cole, Frank 
Lampard, Jody Morris, Graeme Le Saux and John Terry.

And if the rows of empty blue seats told its own story 
about the standing of the tournament in the fans' eyes then at 
least Chelsea had the grace to lower their admission 
prices.

In truth, the first goal was alone worth the price of a 
ticket. It came in the 20th minute after a bout of sparring in 
which Gillingham had given as good as they got.

And it was central defender William Gallas who proved the 
architect, conjuring a wonderful through ball which glided 
into the path of Cole.

With acres of space in front of him it was the type of 
chance which many youngsters might have fluffed due to 
understandable anxiety.

But there is a style about Cole which promises much for 
Chelsea's future and the teenager simply took the ball in his 
stride, waited for Gillingham goalkeeper Jason Brown to commit 
himself, and then coolly slid the ball into the empty net.

There was a predictability about the encounter from that 
moment. For while Gillingham battled and harried they never 
possessed the penetration to seriously trouble a Chelsea 
defence expertly marshalled by the pacy Gallas and the 
dependable John Terry.

It took just seven minutes of the second half for Cole to 
prove that he is just as good in the air as he is on the 
floor.

Jody Morris broke free down the right and sent over a 
pinpoint chip which Cole met at the far post. The teenager 
appeared to hang motionless in the air as he waited for the 
ball to reach him, but when it did he dispatched it with power 
and accuracy into the far corner of the net and Chelsea were 
cruising.

So much so that two minutes later Ranieri substituted Cole, 
hard work completed, and brought on Jesper Gronkjaer. Winston 
Bogarde was also thrown into the action for the first time 
since Boxing Day 2000, coming on to replace Quique De 
Lucas.

Ranieri could be forgiven such rotation, even if Gillingham 
took heart from the changes with Mamady Sidibe heading over 
from close range when it seemed much easier to score and 
substitute Marlon King poaching the last-second consolation 
when the Chelsea defence went to sleep for the first time all 
night.

The truth is the first division side were given an 
exhibition in Premiership class.

And the grade A student? Carlton Cole.