Determined to get back on track in the league after a narrow defeat to Everton, Calum McFarlane's side produced a brilliant performance in front of the home fans.

The Blues opened the scoring in the 19th minute through Shumaira Mheuka, and the Blues striker added his and our second soon after. Jesse Derry continued his fine form and capped off an excellent first half by netting our third.

We continued with the same momentum and intensity after the break, and Chelsea defender Harrison Murray-Campbell was next on the scoresheet.

Reading pushed hard to claim a late consolation and Ashqar Ahmed had a goal disallowed for offside. However, the visitors did manage to score in stoppage time through Andre Garcia, denying the Blues a clean sheet but not the three points.

Early energy

From kick-off, Chelsea applied pressure and pinned Reading deep into their own half. Our first genuine sight of goal came via a set-piece, as an inswinging corner was flicked on by Mheuka and met Ollie Harrison in front of goal. But a covering Reading defender reacted brilliantly to keep the midfielder's header out.

The game quickly shifted to the other end, as Reading’s Garcia sprinted forward and found himself one-on-one with keeper Max Merrick. His low strike rolled just wide of the post; it was an early reprieve for the Blues.

The action swung back and forth and Tyler Sackey fired a low shot that needed Max Merrick to be alert to save.

Chelsea responded with a slick passage of play. Defender Axel Disasi sent a long ball forward to Mheuka, who unleashed a powerful effort from a tight angle that beat the far post.

Soon after, Dujuan Richards charged down the wing and drilled a strong shot that forced Thomas Norcott into a sharp save. The warning signs were clear.

Breaking through

We finally broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a beautifully worked team goal. Richards used his pace to stretch the Reading defence and found Samuel Rak-Sakyi, whose clever cutback enabled Mheuka to sweep a precise low strike into the net.

We almost instantly doubled when Richards once again caused problems down the wing, weaving past defenders, and forcing the Reading goalkeeper to make a save.

However, the Blues' momentum was unstoppable and, after Ato Ampah kept a loose ball alive and fired toward goal Mheuka was perfectly positioned to calmly chip home the rebound to make it 2-0.

Before the break, we added a third. Mheuka unleashed a low, venomous shot that Norcott did well to parry, only for Derry to pounce on the rebound and smash it into the net, capping off a dominant first-half display.

Fantastic four

Chelsea returned to the pitch and maintained the same intensity and consistency as displayed in the first half, and it didn’t take long to find another goal from a brilliant set-piece.

Derry stepped up to take a free-kick and delivered it perfectly into the box. Centre-back Murray-Campbell timed his run impeccably and connected with a thumping header to beat the Reading keeper.

Reading thought they had pulled one back when Ahmed curled a beautiful strike past Merrick, but the Blues breathed a sigh of relief as the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside.

As the game entered its final stages, the Royals pushed forward in search of a late consolation. Chelsea remained disciplined, focused and alert in defence. Jeremiah Okine-Peters whipped in a teasing cross and Basil Tuma rose to meet it, only for his header to crash against the woodwork, keeping the clean sheet intact.

Just when it seemed all was settled, the referee added six minutes of stoppage time, giving Reading one last chance.

And in the final seconds, Garcia managed a low strike that squeezed between Merrick and the post. But come the final whistle, Chelsea had firmly stamped our authority to secure a dominant 4-1 victory at Kingsmeadow.

What's next

After the international break, our Under-21s will return to action in the Premier League International Cup as we host Paris Saint-Germain for a midweek fixture on Wednesday 3 December, kicking off at 7pm at Kingsmeadow.

Tickets are still available for this match. Chelsea season ticket holders (both men’s and women’s teams), members and Under-20s are eligible for a free ticket, while general sale tickets are priced at £4.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Max Merrick; Kaiden Wilson, Axel Disasi (Justin Osagie 71), Harrison Murray-Campbell, Harrison McMahon; Ollie Harrison (Jimi Tauriainen 52), Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Jesse Derry; Dujuan Richards, Shumaira Mheuka (Deivid Washington 71), Ato Ampah (Kobe Barbour 65)
Unused sub: Isaac Collinson
Scorers: Mheuka 19, 22, Derry 43, Murray-Campbell 58
Booked: Wilson 36, Rak-Sakyi 82

Reading: Thomas Norcott, Ashqar Ahmed, John Ryan, Shay Spencer, Philip Duah, Jacob Borgnis (Jeremiah Okine-Peters 80), Emmanuel Osho (Basil Tuma 63), Carter Bowdery (Luke Howard 63), Sean Patton (Reece Evans 63), Tyler Sackey, Andre Garcia
Unused sub: Harrison Rhone
Scorer: Garcia 90+6
Booked: Borgnis 78