Chelsea extended our unbeaten run to six games with a strong second-half performance in the Midlands, as goals from four different players secured all three Under-18 Premier League points on Saturday afternoon.
Although West Brom took the lead at their training ground through Ryan Colesby, who pounced on a loose ball to put them ahead, Chelsea quickly responded. Young striker Chizaram Ezenwata combined well with Yahya Idrissi, firing the ball into the net to level the score before the interval.
We came out with renewed aggression in the second half, and Idrissi delivered a brilliant floating finish, beating Louis Brady to give us the lead. However, our opponents didn’t back down easily. They levelled the score at 2-2 through Jaiden Francis-Caesar, who slotted the ball home with precision.
But our substitutes brought the energy and determination we needed. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, fresh off his winning goal for the Under-21s the previous day, coolly fired a low strike into the bottom corner to restore our advantage.
Then, Sol Gordon, making his return from injury, capped off a successful afternoon with a powerful, clinical strike, securing the 4-2 win and keeping our place in the top three of the Under-18 Premier League South table.
Promising start
Chelsea wasted no time in making our attacking intentions clear, creating the first real chance within the opening five minutes. Ezenwata surged forward, displaying great pace, before laying the ball off to Reggie Walsh. The young midfielder struck it with power, but his effort sailed just over the crossbar.
At the other end, Freddy Bernal was quickly called into action and handled the pressure with composure. Colesby lined up a well-struck free-kick, sending it over the Chelsea wall, but Bernal remained unshaken, confidently catching the powerful attempt.
After a brief period of both teams finding their rhythm, Chelsea made another push with a brilliantly executed team move. Captain Olutayo Subuloye led the charge, driving forward with purpose before threading a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Idrissi. The Moroccan winger showcased quick footwork, spotting Walsh inside the box.
Walsh unleashed a powerful strike, but Baggies goalkeeper Brady reacted superbly, tipping the shot over the bar to keep the game level.
Midfielder Charlie Holland continued to trouble the West Brom defence, delivering a pinpoint long ball to Ezenwata. Our striker weaved his way into the penalty area and unleashed a venomous strike, but defender Rhys Morrish made a crucial intervention, stretching out a leg to divert the shot out of play.
Unexpected setback
Despite Chelsea’s attacking momentum, it was West Brom who struck first. Rio Parmar, lively from the outset, drove forward and delivered a dangerous low cross into the box. Colesby was quick to react, slotting the ball past Bernal to give the hosts the lead just before the half-hour mark.
West Brom almost doubled their advantage shortly after, capitalising on their momentum. Fran Cherchi unleashed a curling effort from outside the area that rattled the goal frame, narrowly missing the chance to extend their lead.
However, Chelsea responded with resilience. Ezenwata applied relentless pressure on Brady just outside the penalty box, forcing an error and winning possession. Walsh was quick to pounce on the loose ball and fired towards goal, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
Only a matter of time
With relentless pressure and attacking intent, Chelsea’s equaliser felt inevitable - and when it arrived, it was no surprise who delivered the crucial moment.
Idrissi made a sharp run to latch onto a looping pass over the top from Calvin Diakite. With excellent control, the winger carried the ball into the box before threading a perfectly timed pass to Ezenwata. Our No. 9 made no mistake, rifling a clinical strike into the top corner to bring Chelsea level before the break.
We wasted no time making an impact at the start of the second half. Idrissi continued to shine on the far side, testing Brady with a powerful strike from a tight angle. Although the keeper kept it out, it felt like only a matter of time before we took the lead.
With West Brom pinned back, we pressed forward with intent. Waite did well to send a cutback across the face of goal, finding Idrissi on the wing. He took on his marker with confidence before delivering a cross-like strike that found the back of the net, putting the Blues ahead.
But the advantage was short-lived as the home side quickly responded with an equaliser of their own. Colesby drove forward before playing a precise pass to Francis-Caesar, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner beyond Bernal.
Excitement continues
Under-18s head coach Hassan Sulaiman made a crucial change, turning to his bench for fresh legs to inject new energy into the game - and it worked perfectly.
Substitute Kavuma-McQueen wasted no time, making an immediate impact. Just four minutes after coming on, he coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to restore our lead. Latching onto a long pass from Subuloye, the winger drove into the box and drilled a low strike past Brady, leaving the keeper with no chance.
The pressure kept building as we pushed forward. Another substitute, Gordon, also made a huge impact upon his return from injury. Ezenwata made a brilliant run down the pitch and squared the ball to Kavuma-McQueen. However, showing his unselfishness, he passed it to the onrushing Gordon, who smashed the ball straight into the back of the net, getting back to his best.
We continued to dominate for the remainder of the fixture, securing a 4-2 victory and ensuring all three league points would be coming back to Cobham for the weekend.
What's next
The young Blues will continue our Under-18 Premier League campaign with a London derby against Arsenal at Cobham on Tuesday 11 March, for an 11am kick-off. Supporters worldwide can watch the match live on the official Chelsea website and app, free of charge.
The teams
Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Joseph Wheeler-Henry (Isago Mendes Da Silva 88), Walter Nutter (Harry McGlinchey 75), Dante Waite, Olutayo Subuloye (c); Reggie Watson, Charlie Holland, Reggie Walsh; Hezekiah Grimwade (Ryan Kavuma-McQueen 65), Chizaram Ezenwata, Yahya Idrissi (Sol Gordon 75)Unused sub:Hudson SandsScorers: Ezenwata 38, Idrissi 53, Kavuma-McQueen 69, Gordon 80Booked: Waite 48
West Brom (3-4-2-1): Louis Brady, Adam Letlat, Fran Cherchi, Abdul Abudu (Joel Asomugha HT), Rhys Morrish (Adam Okorodudu 77), George Shaw, Shane Gompe, Charlie Blackshields, Jaiden Francis-Caesar (Harry French 64), Ryan Colesby, Rio ParmarUnused subs: Justin Seven-Seven, Maxwell Moses, Joel AsomughaScorers: Colesby 26, Francis-Caesar 58
Booked: Shaw 90+4