First Chelsea goals for Renato Veiga and Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall were the highlight of a comprehensive fifth consecutive win as we began our Conference League campaign in style.

Veiga got things up and running early on with a towering header from Mkyhailo Mudryk’s cross. Despite chances, we had to wait until a minute into the second half to double our lead, Pedro Neto smashing home in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.

Gent threatened at points and our Belgian visitors halved the deficit shortly afterwards through Tsuyoshi Watanabe’s header, but any chance of a comeback was quickly quashed by Christopher Nkunku, who lashed in his seventh of the season.

Dewsbury-Hall then got the goal his industrious performance in midfield deserved to make it 4-1 Chelsea with 20 minutes remaining. There was time for Gent to get one back before the end, but this was very much our night.

The teams

Enzo Maresca named an entirely fresh starting XI from the weekend win over Brighton. In fact, there was only one change to the side that began the Barrow game last midweek: Tosin Adarabioyo for Malo Gusto. Axel Disasi, at right-back, captained again.

Academy midfielder Kiano Dyer, 17, was named on the bench for the first time. Another youngster, Tyrique George, would be brought on with 10 minutes remaining.

Fast start

The Blues were at it from the off. By the time Veiga opened the scoring in the 12th minute, Joao Felix had seen a close-range effort blocked and Neto had come close with a low drive.

It was a fine Chelsea move through the lines that prised Gent open. Dewsbury-Hall released Mudryk and he showed patience and then precision, waiting for Veiga to make a move at the far post before delivering a perfect cross that allowed the Portuguese to plant a header back across goal and in. It was just reward for a fine start to the game for Veiga.

Dewsbury-Hall came very close to doubling our lead before the midway point of the half. He allowed Neto to break at speed and then got into a position for the return ball, firing into the side-netting from 12 yards out.

A smooth Gent move after the half-hour allowed Archie Brown a run at goal, but with the angle narrowing the England Under-20 international shot straight at Filip Jorgensen. The chance triggered a period of Gent pressure that included a dangerous shot not far over from Andri Gudjohnsen, the 22-year-old son of Chelsea legend Eidur.

Pinpoint Pedro

It might have been a quieter finish to the first half for the Blues, but we started the second with a bang. Disasi lofted a ball into the inside right channel and the speed of Neto panicked the visitors’ defence. The winger capitalised on their hesitancy and lashed the ball high into the roof of Davy Roef’s net.

Our two-goal advantage was brief. A corner was cleared but not fully and the ball was worked wide to Gudjohnsen. His cross was into an area full of fluorescent shirts but not many blue ones, and Watanabe was the grateful beneficiary.

Nkunku again

The goals kept coming! We won a succession of consecutive corners and from the third, kept the ball alive inside the box. It looked like Veiga would be the player getting a shot away but Nkunku arrived in a hurry and fired his shot through the crowd and Roef.

Out came the balloon, while the Stamford Bridge faithful lit up their phones in an amusing response to the travelling support doing likewise when Genk scored.

That was on 63 minutes and we made it 4-1 on 70. This time a tackle stopped Nkunku getting a shot away from Joao Felix’s through pass, but Dewsbury-Hall got the goal his performance merited after latching on to the loose ball. His celebration was matched by a joyous Maresca on the sidelines.

Somehow, Badiashile and Disasi didn’t turn in a teasing Neto cross as we threatened to run riot, but it was Gent who had the final say, substitute Omri Gandelman converting Max Dean’s pass meaning it is back-to-back 4-2 home wins for the Blues.

What’s next?

Our final fixture before the October international break is again at the Bridge as we welcome Nottingham Forest to SW6 on Sunday.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Disasi (c), Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; Neto (George 80), Joao Felix, Mudryk; Nkunku (Guiu 80)

Unused subs Sanchez, Bergstrom, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Dyer, Madueke

Scorers Veiga 12, Neto 46, Nkunku 63, Dewsbury-Hall 70

Booked Disasi 72

Gent (4-3-3): Roef; Gambor (Samoise 89), Watanabe, Mitrovic (c), Torunarigha; Ito, Delorge (Gandelman 78), Brown; Fadiga (Araujo 64), Gudjohnsen (Dean 64), Surdez (Kums 78)

Unused subs Schmidt, Vancsa, Gerkens, Sonko, Fortuna, De Vlieger, Varela

Scorers Watanabe 50, Gandelman 90

Booked Brown 90+4

Referee Daniel Schlager

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