It was a bittersweet afternoon for Chelsea Under-18s, who began our Premier League Cup campaign with a hard-fought draw. The visitors struck first through Arlo Cobrough, but Gordon levelled after capitalising on a goalkeeping error.

Sheffield United regained the lead before the interval through Siem Eyob-Abraha, who added his second shortly after the restart. Yet the young Blues showed resilience and substitute Calvin Diakite delivered a perfect cross for Gordon to head home his second and bring Chelsea back into the contest.

Deep into stoppage time, Gordon stepped up to the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick and secure a point for Hassan Sulaiman’s side.

End-to-end action

We began brightly at Cobham but it was the visitors who struck first. Aaron Reid broke down the wing and swung a cross into the box. Our keeper looked set to claim but the ball slipped loose and Cobrough reacted quickest to volley home.

Ibrahim Rabbaj looked to spark a response, curling a cross into the area for Kobe Barbour. He connected well on the volley but the Blades keeper was equal to the effort.

Our pressure told soon after. Barbour and Chris Atherton continued to stretch the defence and Gordon showed sharp striker's instincts to bring us level. He pressed high, seized on a loose touch from the goalkeeper and calmly finished to make it 1-1.

The Blades almost hit back immediately when Cobrough met a low cross but his strike flew just wide of the post. At the other end, Barbour’s footwork created space on the edge of the box, teeing up Lewi Richards, whose low drive rolled narrowly past the near post.

Drama continues

Despite our momentum, the visitors regained the lead. Eyob-Abraha collected the ball in our box and drove forward. Isaac Collinson saved his initial effort, but the winger reacted fastest to tap in the rebound. Minutes later, Eyob-Abraha turned provider, slipping in Keehan Barrett-Underwood whose powerful strike flashed narrowly wide.

We continued to search for a response before the break. Rabbaj intercepted a loose pass from Grainger and went for an ambitious chip from distance, but his strike drifted just wide. That proved the final chance of the half as we went into the interval trailing 2-1.

Sheffield United started the second half strongly and extended their lead with a third goal. Sam Colechin created space on the flank and delivered a low cross into the box, where Eyob-Abraha finished with a clipped effort that found the net.

We almost responded through captain Olutayo Subuloye. Rabbaj’s corner was met by our defender’s powerful header, but a Blades player managed to clear off the line. It was a close call as the young Blues showed brighter moments in search of a second.

Fighting back

Barbour continued to threaten, cutting in from the wing and testing the keeper from a tight angle. Substitute Diakite reacted quickest to the rebound but his shot was crowded out by defenders.

The breakthrough came soon after. Diakite picked up the ball wide and delivered a floated cross into the area, where Gordon rose highest to power in a superb header and make it 3-2. It was a fine piece of link-up between the defender and our striker.

As the game entered the closing stages, Sheffield United had a chance to restore their two-goal advantage. Eyob-Abraha broke through in search of a hat-trick but Collinson stood tall and made a crucial save with his feet.

Pinching a point

Deep into stoppage time, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Richards was fouled in the box while challenging for a corner. Gordon stepped up and drilled his spot-kick low into the corner to complete his hat-trick and level the scores at 3-3.

There was almost a dramatic winner in the final moments when Diakite’s delivery found substitute Yahya Idrissi sliding in at the far post, but his effort rolled just wide. The young Blues had to settle for a point in our opening Under-18 Premier League Cup fixture at our training ground.

What's next

Chelsea’s next Premier League Cup fixture will be away to Manchester City on Saturday 4 October, with kick-off at 11am.

Before that, we return to the Under-18 Premier League, hosting Aston Villa at midday on Saturday 30 August. That match will be available to watch for free via our live stream on the Chelsea Official App and website.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Isaac Collinson; Joseph Wheeler-Henry (Yahya Idrissi 68), Olutayo Subuloye (c), Jacob Hall (Isago Silva 85), Harry McGlinchey (Calvin Diakite 68); Isaac Badu, Ibrahim Rabbaj, Lewi Richards; Chris Atherton, Sol Gordon, Kobe Barbour
Unused subs: Jake Murray, Joel Philbert
Scorer: Gordon 18, 75, pen 90+2

Sheffield United: Ben Grainger, Sam Colechin, Keehan Barrett-Underwood, Edward Roberts, Tom Dearden, Marley Parr-Pearson, Siem Eyob-Abraha, Aaron Reid (c), Arlo Cobrough (Matt Poppleton 73), Jaydon Makhalira (Robert Adams 83), Emmett Morrison (Charlie Bulmer 89)
Unused subs: Cole Hay, Alfie Venners
Scorers: Couborough 7, Eyob-Abraha 23, 48
Booked: Couborough 9, Morrison 52, Colechin 63, Reid 90+5