The opening phases of the second half lacked the same quality that was on display in the first. As the teams lacked fluidity, it took a moment of inspiration from Ezenwata to reignite the fixture.
Given the responsibility of a free-kick around 20 yards out, the Chelsea number nine blasted the set-piece into the bottom corner, leaving Whitworth with no chance of preventing the equaliser.
Just two minutes later, Chelsea found the back of the net again, this time through Eboue. Similar to their first goal of the game, Gordon played a clever pass to the edge of the area, where Eboue whipped a vicious shot to the near post, past Whitworth.
Forced to chase the game, Palace were quick to create chances after falling behind; perhaps their best chance fell just minutes after conceding. The substitute, Stuart Oduro, burst through the Chelsea midfield with a stirring run before laying the ball off to David Angibeaud.
His low effort was parried to Ajean-Ray Greaves, who, when faced with a vacant net, fired his effort over the bar.
After a remarkable save from Bernal stopped an Oduro header, the match came to an unfortunate, and somewhat anticlimactic, ending. Looking to recycle possession, Walker-Smith played a back-pass past Whitworth, but a miscommunication saw the ball trickle into the net.
There were plenty of positive signs for Javier Alonso throughout the match, but the Young Eagles’ second game of the season ended in defeat.
**Palace**: Whitworth (GK), Judd, Fasida, Danaher, Somade, Walker-Smith, Bernard-Ferguson (Greaves, 72), Okoli, Casey (Lamidi, 94), Martin (Oduro, 65), Frazer-Williams (Angibeaud, 72).
Subs not used: Mason (GK).
**Chelsea**: Bernal (GK), Richards, Waite, Subuloye, Diakite (McGlinchey, 45), Watson (Da Silva, 45), Barbour (Atherton, 78), Nicoll-Jazuli, Ezenwata, Eboue (Regragui, 78), Gordon.
Subs not used: Murray (GK).