Our Under-18s returned to league action for the first time in 2022 today in a home clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.

In the away fixture between the two sides before the turn of the year, the young Blues emphatically won 6-1 but this rematch at a foggy Cobham was a far tighter affair.

Edging the opening minutes

Chelsea, the league leaders, looked to start the year as they ended 2021 but two early chances fell the way of the away side as goalkeeper Ted Curd was required to save the first, while the second was put well over the bar from a corner.

Ed Brand’s boys scored their first goal of 2022 against the run of play through Derrick Abu. The right wing-back bravely flew in for a header despite the oncoming challenges after an inviting delivery from captain Leo Castledine.

Tight affair

Brighton responded well and were creating the better opportunities before they took the lead through striker Zak Emmerson with 15 minutes left to go in the half. Following a good save from Curd, ricochets in the box fell kindly in the Brighton player's favour as he tapped home into an empty net.

The half ended with our young Blues in the ascendanc, but struggling to create clear-cut chances to trouble the Seagulls defence.

The second half was an even affair, both teams with the opportunity to win the game. The best chance fell to substitute Edwin Andersson when his flicked effort goalwards was saved excellently by Brighton keeper James Beadle.

A last-minute save from our own shot-stopper Curd, who had a brilliant game with a string of saves, closed out our first Under-18s Premier League game of 2022.

The next fixture in this competition will be an away game against Arsenal on Saturday 22 January.

Chelsea (3-4-2-1) Ted Curd; Richard Olise, Travis Akomeah, Luke Badley-Morgan; Derrick Abu, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Billy Gee; Zain Silcott-Duberry (Edwin Andersson 62); Leo Castledine (c), Tudor Mendel-Idowu (Ollie Starkey 90+3); Louis Flower (Malik Mothersille 75)Unused subs: Luke Campbell, Michael GoldingScorer Abu 14Booked Castledine 22

Brighton & Hove Albion (3-4-1-2) James Beadle; Ruari McConville, Leigh Kavanagh, Ben Jackson; Eliot Jenks (Marcus Ifill 52), Sam Chouchane (Jaami Qureshi 73), John Lucero, Jake Gee; Jack Hinselwood (Billie Clark 62), Zak Emmerson, Joshua DuffusUnused subs: Casey Shan, Killian CahillScorer Emmerson 29Booked Duffus 55; Emmerson 70; Lucero 89; Kavanagh 90+1

-Pictures courtesy of Mark Sandom