Chelsea got off to the perfect start, immediately putting the visitors under pressure. Just nine minutes in, Eboue rose to meet a precise delivery and nodded home his fourth goal of the season, giving the Blues an early lead. Despite continuing to dominate and create opportunities, the teams went into the interval with Chelsea holding a slender one-goal advantage, confident that more would follow in the second half.

The Blues returned for the second period determined to extend their lead. While pressure on Southampton’s backline remained constant, it wasn’t until stoppage-time that Chelsea broke through again. A swift counter allowed substitute Gordon to find the back of the net, giving the Blues breathing space.

Momentum firmly with Chelsea, Barbour then capped a confident team performance. The winger raced down the flank before finishing a solo run into the bottom corner, securing his fifth goal of the season and rounding off a clean-sheet victory in the final moments of injury time.

Following this result, the young Blues sit top of the Under-18 Premier League South table, recording our 11th league win of the season and extending a two-point lead over second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, with Chelsea still holding two games in hand.

Bright start

Our fixture got off to a feisty start, with aggression and pace high from the opening whistle. It was Chelsea who opened the scoring early on, stamping our mark on the game.

The move was sparked by a quick run from winger Barbour, who whipped a dangerous cross into the area where Eboue was there to meet it. Although his initial shot was cleared, he reacted quickly to the rebound and did well to head the ball from close range, squeezing it between Oscar Abbotson and his near post to put the Blues ahead.

We almost doubled our lead shortly after when striker Chizaram Ezenwata received the ball inside the penalty area and smashed a powerful effort on target. However the Saints keeper reacted well, palming the strike away as it stung his gloves.

As the game passed the 20-minute mark, the tempo began to settle, though Chelsea continued to pose the greater attacking threat. Our visitors still showed moments of danger, with Walter Nutter striking a powerful effort from inside the area, but Blues defender Lewi Richards - who had been solid throughout the early stages - made a vital block to divert the shot wide.

The game remained lively and Chelsea thought we had doubled our lead 10 minutes later. Ezenwata saw his effort blocked by a Southampton defender, but young Heze Grimwade reacted quickest to the loose ball and lifted a looping effort into the net. However, his celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

We came close again as the first half entered its closing stages, with Ezenwata continuing to trouble the Saints’ backline. The forward burst into open space with his pace before firing a venomous strike from a tight angle, but the effort crashed against the near post, denying him a place on the scoresheet.

After a positive opening 45 minutes, we headed into the break with a one-goal advantage.

Blues push on

We returned for the second half with the same attacking intent, as both sides looked to threaten early. Sands was called into action soon after the restart, but our keeper remained composed, comfortably catching Lewis Bailey’s strike from inside the penalty area.

Chelsea’s next clear opportunity soon followed. Substitute Sol Gordon was brought down just outside the penalty area after a driving run, earning the Blues a dangerous free-kick in a promising position. Ezenwata stepped up and whipped a superb right-footed effort towards goal, but his strike drifted inches wide of the target.

Midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli made his presence felt when he lofted a high ball into the box, finding Ezenwata rushing in from close range. However, our strikers tap-in was saved by Abbotson, underlining just how difficult the Saints’ keeper proved to be in the closing stages of the fixture.

Hogan made a change as we pressed late into the closing stages, bringing on Jashyade Greenwood for Eboue. With just five minutes of normal time remaining, Greenwood wasted no time making an impact. Using his tricky footwork, he was brought down inside the penalty area by Jake Vallance. Ezenwata stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, but the Saints’ keeper dived the right way to keep his powerful effort out.

Finishing on high

Despite the setback, it felt harsh on the Blues not to find another goal, as the sustained pressure suggested it was only a matter of time before we added to our advantage. And in stoppage-time, we finally made it count.

Following a long ball from Sands, Greenwood controlled expertly before threading a precise pass to Gordon, who finished with a cross-like strike into the net to make it 2-0 - a thoroughly deserved reward for our performance.

The momentum was firmly with us as we added a third in the dying moments, deep into eight minutes of stoppage-time. Barbour, who had been relentless down the flank all game, produced a brilliant run into the box before unleashing a low strike straight into the bottom corner, sealing the victory and ensuring all three league points returned to Cobham.

What's next?

Chelsea will be in Under-18 Premier League action on Tuesday 3 March, facing Fulham at Cobham, with kick-off at 1:30pm. Supporters worldwide can watch the match live for free on the Chelsea Official App and the club’s website.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Hudson Sands; Riley Ebho (Jacob Hall 59), Lewi Richards, Dante Waite (c), Calvin Diakite; Isaac Badu (Isago Silva 90+3), Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Heze Grimwade (Sol Gordon 59); Kobe Barbour, Chizaram Ezenwata, Mathis Eboue (Jashayde Greenwood 81)
Unused sub: Antoni Miernik
Scorers: Eboue 9, Gordon 90+2, Barbour 90+8
Booked: Badu 61

Southampton (4-2-3-1): Oscar Abbotson, Harry Rodda, Jake Vallance, Lewis Day, Brogan Sewell, Walter Nutter, Kynan Duffy (TintendaGoremusandu h-t), Korban McMullan (c), Jude Daniels (Oliver Newman 89), Wyatt Comley (Max Little 68), Leo Umeh (Lewis Bailey h-t)
Unused sub: Panganayi Kuzanga
Booked: Rodda 69