A CROWD of 1,743 turned out at Gravesend and Northfleet’s Stonebridge Road ground on Monday night to welcome FA Barclays Premier Reserve League football to Kent for the first time.

The match between Charlton, who will play all this season’s reserve games at Stonebridge Road, and Chelsea caused traffic congestion outside the ground and long queues at the turnstiles.

Chelsea won the game 1-0 thanks to an 85th minute winner from Jimmy Smith whose angled free kick eluded the Charlton defence.

Charlton gave a debut to Uruguay international midfielder Omar Pouso who was at the hub of all his team’s best moves.