Two goals early in the second half put our development squad well on the road to victory on Sunday evening but the home side fought back and denied the Blues with an equaliser in the final minutes of the game.

Not for the first time this PL2 season, a good lead was lost and points drifted away late in the game but in contrast to the senior side the day before, at least a long unbeaten run was extended with a visit to Brighton.

The Chelsea goals came from Mason Burstow with his third PL2 strike of the season and from Omari Hutchinson with his fifth. It was another to add to his collection of quality strikes already this season.

However in an open game in which chances came throughout, Brighton pulled one back with an excellent finish of their own from Luca Barrington with quarter-of-an hour to go before another substitute, Imari Samuels, made it 2-2 in the 89th-minute.

The Blues came closer to scoring in the goalless first half, Charlie Webster unlucky to see a good effort bounce back off the crossbar, but Brighton had chances too and would have taken an early lead with some better finishing.

Chelsea’s play began to improve midway through the opening period and the start to the second half was blistering, but Brighton eventually found their shooting boots.

The draw leaves us in seventh place in the PL2 table after 11 games.

Growing into the game

Our development squad side came into this game undefeated in eight across all competitions, having won 3-0 at home to Blackburn last time out.

There was one change to the team from that match, with Alfie Gilchrist coming into the defence and Zak Sturge moved to the bench.

Before either side managed an effort on goal in this game held at Brighton’s training centre, there was a delay after a clash of heads in the Chelsea penalty area, resulting in an early substitution by the home side. When the action did resume, it was Brighton forward Cameron Puepion who lashed the first shot of the game just wide of the goal at that end of the pitch.
The home side were frustrated again when a ball was flashed across the Chelsea six-yard box and Samy Chouchane blazed wide at the far post.

The Blues responded with Hutchinson, fresh from his first appearance on the men’s first team bench just a few miles down the coast yesterday, forcing the first save from the Brighton goalie.

His opposite number Eddie Beach was sharp in keeping out a shot from Chouchane. It was proving a lively first quarter of this game.

Sustained Chelsea pressure and some crisp passing forced a bad mistake at the back by the Seagulls but after Ben Elliott’s shot was blocked, Lewis Hall’s follow up was straight at the keeper. Then Charlie Webster hit the bar.

It was a good effort by the midfielder, who had dug the ball out from his feet on the left before curling in a strike that had James Beadle beaten.

The first half finished scoreless, but there looked to be goals in this game.

Two-goal salvo

Indeed that proved to be the case with just two minutes of the second half played. Chelsea having won the ball high up the park, outnumbered the Brighton backline but having played it well, the chance appeared to have gone after Hutchinson forced the ball towards goal but the Seagulls blocked. It came back to Burstow however who hammered it home.

Moments later it was 2-0, Hutchinson with a simply unstoppable strike from just inside the area after a Lewis Hall pass.

Elliott then hit the outside of the post with the Blues having truly found our rhythm.

Brighton had a spell similar to in the first half, with Chouchane shooting wide wastefully and a dangerous Todd Miller cross amounting to nothing.

Samuels later had a heading chance which he placed straight at Beach before a minute later the Chelsea goalkeeper was beaten, by a very well struck effort from substitute Luca Barrington.

Now the pressure was on. A chance for an equaliser fell to Jack Hinshelwood but he cleared the crossbar before two Chelsea subs nearly combined to make the points safe but Jimi Tauriainen and Malik Mothersille were thwarted in a goalmouth scramble. The latter then had a clear shooting chance on the turn but Beadle saved.

There were two minutes of the 90 left on the clock when the agonising leveller came and it was another tale of two substitutes, Marcus Ifill beating Beach and seeing his shot come back off the post, but Samuels was in the right place to volley the ball into the Chelsea net.

Chelsea Eddie Beach; Leo Castledine, Alfie Gilchrist, Bashir Humphreys (c), Dylan Williams (Zak Sturge 73); Lewis Hall, Charlie Webster; Omari Hutchinson, Ben Elliott (Jimi Tauriainen 73), Dion Rankine; Mason Burstow (Malik Mothersille 63).

Unused subs Max Merrick, Derrick Abu.

Scorers Burstow 47, Hutchinson 49

Booked Webster 45+2, Beach 85

Brighton James Beadle, Ruairi McConville (Imari Samuels 11), Antef Tsoungui, Ed Turns, Todd Miller (Marcus Ifill 66), Jack Spong (c), Samy Chouchane (Luca Barrington 66), James Furlong, Jack Hinshelwood, Cameron Peupion, Andrew Moran (Casper Nilsson 73).

Unused subs Killian Cahill.

Scorers Barrington 76, Samuels 88

Booked Hinshelwood 74