The Blues were on top from start to finish as goals early in each half ensured we go into the final round of matches before the March international break just three points off the top of the table, with three games in hand.

Donnell McNeilly gave us the lead from the penalty spot early on and ruthlessly punished a poor kick by the goalkeeper to get his second before half-time. The striker followed up his decisive goal in the last match at Crystal Palace by completing a hat-trick with a composed finish this time out.

Quick out of the blocks

Chelsea were the first to threaten, Josh-Kofi Acheampong’s excellent touch in the centre circle creating an opportunity to break, but Leo Cardoso’s resulting effort was blocked in the box.

Within the opening five minutes, the Blues did take the lead, though. Again it owed much to good work by one of our full-backs, this time Genesis Antwi on the left. His direct run took him infield, past several players and into the box, where he was barged to the floor by Charlie Penman. McNeilly stepped up and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 1-0.

Brighton attempted to push back, having a penalty shout of their own turned down, and for a period the tie settled down to a fairly even contest. Chelsea took more control as the first half went on, though, and the away side looked increasingly uncomfortable penned into their own half.

That nearly resulted in a second Chelsea goal before the break. Good work pressing high up won possession just inside the Brighton box and Runham took the opportunity drive a shot high at goal. Somehow the keeper got enough of a glove on it to tip onto the crossbar and behind for a corner.

Lead doubled

The Blues pressure paid off with the second 10 minutes before half-time, McNeilly continuing his impressive run of scoring form with his second goal of the game. A kick from the keeper only made it as far as the striker 25 yards out. He drove forward, creating space for the shot, before hitting a precise effort into the bottom-right corner from outside the area.

McNeilly was disappointed not to net a first-half hat-trick, too, when he was found around the penalty spot by Harrison Murray-Campbell’s cross from the right, but he headed over the bar.

Game over

The striker wasn’t to be denied his hat-trick, though, and he had it inside the first few minutes of the second half. As we came out after the break strongly, Acheampong found space on the right to deliver a dangerous ball into the box, where McNeilly produced a composed finish low past the keeper to make it three.

That cemented our control over the match and the lead was nearly extended further, Frankie Runham firing a central free-kick just wide of the right-hand post.

Teddy Curd needed to make a good low save to prevent Brighton pushing for a way back, but the Blues could have killed the game off for good with a fourth on the counter. Michael Golding charged into the Brighton half and found Cardoso in the box. He rounded the keeper but couldn’t beat the covering defender.

With Chelsea knowing the job was largely done, Brighton finished the game with arguably their strongest spell of the match, but were unable to truly test Curd and the Blues were more than worthy of our 3-0 victory.

The reaction

There were plenty of reasons for head coach Hassan Sulaiman to be pleased with his team after an important 3-0 victory, but one of the main areas he focused on was the defensive unity shown at Cobham.

Having previously managed just one league clean sheet this season, also against Brighton back in October, the Blues have now made it three in a row, in successive wins over the Seagulls, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

'We started the game really well, we had some really good passages of play, we managed to go in at half-time 2-0 up. Before the start of the game we spoke about the importance of making sure we played well, but also ensuring that we win as this was one of our games in hand.

'We also talked about keeping another clean sheet, because we’ve kept clean sheets in the last two games, but earlier on in the season we found that difficult. We spoke about how hard we’ve worked defensively to ensure that we defend our box together, our pressing behaviours are good, we clear our lines, we defend crosses. So to achieve a clean sheet and get the win was certainly big for us.'

However, it was the start to the second half which Sulaiman highlights as a crucial moment for Chelsea, given difficulties we faced in two previous fixtures against the same opposition. On this occasion, we came out strong after the break to score a quick third goal and deny Brighton the chance to fight back.

'At half-time, we spoke about the importance of getting the next goal. Last season we were 2-1 up against Brighton at half-time but they got back into the game and we didn’t get the result that our performance deserved.

'We were 2-0 up at half-time in the game we played against them away earlier this season as well. They changed their style in the second half which affected us and they started to have a few more chances, even though Luke Campbell made a last-minute save to keep our first clean sheet of the season.

'That's why in the second half this time we wanted to ensure we got the next goal and fortunately for us it came from a really good passage of play. We spoke about how to beat their press and how we could maximise our opportunities to go and play forward, and I think the third goal epitomised everything we spoke about at half-time. That was really important for us.

'At 3-0 we were quite comfortable. We managed the game by making sure we kept them at bay, we limited their opportunities. They had some good spells in possession but without really hurting us, so I think that we were still able to control the game out of possession, which is also part of what we spoke about at half-time.'

There was also a word of recognition for hat-trick scorer McNeilly, who has returned following a period sidelined by suspension to find the net four times in his last two appearances, picking up where the striker left off in an impressive season for our Under-18s so far.

'That’s three penalties he’s had in the last three games. He’s missed one and then he’s scored the last two, against Palace and again today.

'He got sent off against Leicester, which he was bitterly disappointed with himself about, and since he’s been back he’s definitely hit the ground running and bounced back from his suspension.

'This hat-trick takes him to 20 goal involvements in 17 games for the Under-18s this season. That's a testament to him and his hunger to want to perform well and keep driving the team forward.'

What it means

The gap to West Ham United at the top of the southern table is reduced to three points, with Chelsea having three further games in hand to make up that gap before the end of the season.

What is next

Our Under-18s have a quick turnaround before our next league game, returning to Cobham on Saturday to host Reading for an 11am kick-off, in our last match before the international break.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Teddy Curd; Josh-Kofi Acheampong, Harrison Murray-Campbell (c), Kaiden Wilson, Genesis Antwi (Travis Akomeah 82); Harrison McMahon (Ollie Harrison 70), Michael Golding; Leo Cardoso, Tyrique George (Reiss Denny 70), Frankie Runham; Donnell McNeilly (Chinonso Chibueze 70)
Unused sub: Kai Crampton
Scorer: McNeilly pen 5, 35, 48

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Lorenz Ferdinand, Charlie Tasker (Nehemiah Oriola 62), Harry Mills, Zane Albarus, Charlie Penman, Freddie Simmonds (Corbin Mthunzi 66), Aidan West (Yussif Owusu 62), Shane Nti, Joe Belmont, Harry Howell (Sahil Bashir 62), Remeiro Moulton (Ronnie Gorman 62)