ARSENAL'S reserves slumped to a 3-2 defeat to London rivals Chelsea in their Barclays Reserve League South opener at Underhill on Monday evening.

Mark Randall gave the Gunners the perfect start on ten minutes, escaping the intention of five Blues players in the box before chipping over Rhys Taylor in the Chelsea goal.

Didier Drogba was continuing his rehabilitation with a run-out for the Blues' reserves and, after out-muscling one challenge, the Ivory Coast international delievered a perfect cross for Sergio Rodriguez to tap home the equaliser on 43 minutes.

Miroslav Stoch should have then given Chelsea the lead early in the second half, but curled his shot wide of the post.

However, Stoch made amends on 64 minutes when he set up Michael Woods to score after a brilliant cross-field pass from Fabio Paim.

Chelsea grabbed what would eventually be the winning goal on 70 minutes.

Patrick van Aanholt capitilised on a slack ball in the Arsenal midfield and raced through before the ball fell to Scott Sinclair, who cooly finished past Gunners stopper Wojciech Szczesny.

The Gunners grabbed a consolation goal eight minutes later, Rui Fonte curling home a brilliant free-kick after Jay Simpson had been brought down by Carl Magnay on the edge of the penalty area.

Wonderkid Jack Wilshere nearly grabbed the north Londoners a deserved point with a chipped effort that produced a fine stop from Taylor.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Ogogo, Gibbs, Coquelin (Dunne 60), Bartley, Hoyte, Wilshere, Randall (Murphy 80), Simpson, Fonte, Merida. Subs: Shea, Emmanuel-Thomas, Rodgers.