The Blues started brightly on home turf, applying early pressure as we looked to end the campaign on a positive note.

Reggie Walsh broke the deadlock after 20 minutes with a composed finish, setting the tone for a dominant display. Just after the half-hour mark, he struck again to double the lead and complete his brace, taking his tally to seven Under-18 league goals for the season.

Chelsea went into the break 2-0 up, fully in control and looking to build on our advantage after the restart.

Sol Gordon added a third early in the second half with a composed finish, before substitute Jashayde Greenwood made an immediate impact, scoring just minutes after coming on to extend the lead to 4-0.

To complete a superb performance, substitute Heze Grimwade added a fifth to cap off the afternoon, sealing a 5-0 win and bringing the Under-18 Premier League South campaign to a fitting conclusion.

Positive start

Our fixture began at a measured tempo, with this being our final Under-18 Premier League South match of the season. Chelsea quickly settled into possession, controlling the game and building from the back as we looked to find an early breakthrough.

The first real opportunity came from a set-piece, as Landon Emenalo delivered a dangerous corner with pace and curl. It flashed through a crowded penalty area, forcing Freddie Marson to react and punch clear under pressure as the intensity began to build.

The breakthrough eventually arrived through Walsh, who capitalised on a defensive error. A loose pass from Alfie Dignum in an attempt to play out from the back was intercepted by the midfielder, who remained calm and composed before curling a superb finish into the top corner, beyond the Leicester goalkeeper, to give Chelsea a deserved lead.

We almost doubled the advantage soon after, with momentum firmly in our favour. Emenalo again provided the delivery from the left, cutting the ball back across the penalty area for Lewi Richards, who met it first time with a sweeping effort that narrowly missed the far post.

Extending our advantage

The second goal felt inevitable, and it soon arrived as Walsh struck again to complete his brace.

Moments earlier, Chelsea had gone close through a flowing move, with Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli cutting the ball back for Gordon, whose flicked effort was well saved by Marson. From the resulting phase of play, Richards delivered the ball back into the box, where Walsh saw his initial effort blocked on the line. The midfielder reacted quickest to the loose ball, however, and fired home from close range to make it 2-0.

From there, Chelsea remained in complete control. We dictated possession and managed the game effectively, taking a deserved two-goal lead into the interval after a composed and dominant first-half display.

Pushing on

We began the second half with real intensity. Gordon had the first opportunity after driving forward, but his effort rose just over the crossbar.

Another moment of quality followed soon after, as Walsh produced a superb long-range switch to find Gordon. The winger struck powerfully, but the Leicester goalkeeper reacted well at his near post to push the effort away as the Blues searched for a third.

Chizaram Ezenwata then went close when Walsh threaded a precise pass into his path, sending the striker through one-on-one with Marson. His powerful finish was saved, before the assistant’s offside flag was raised.

Despite that, Chelsea continued to press with real intent, maintaining pressure on the hosts as the attacking momentum built.

No holding back

It felt like only a matter of time before Chelsea found the breakthrough in the second half, and we did exactly that.

The third goal came from a superb counter-attack. Ezenwata released a long ball over the top for Gordon, who remained composed in a one-on-one situation. Driving into the penalty area, he calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner beyond substitute goalkeeper Leo Stretton.

With momentum firmly in our hands, the fourth arrived shortly after. Richards made excellent use of space on the flank, driving forward before delivering a lofted cross into the box. The forward rose highest to meet it, powering a thunderous header into the net to make it 4-0.

As in many league fixtures this season, Chelsea controlled proceedings and grew stronger as the game progressed. Olutayo Subuloye pressed high to win possession from a Leicester player before finding Grimwade. The midfielder stayed composed inside the box and drilled an unstoppable finish into the bottom corner to make it 5-0 to the Blues.

It was a complete and professional performance from start to finish, capped by a clean sheet and a dominant scoreline, rounding off a superb afternoon and a strong end to an impressive Under-18s campaign.

What's next

Following Chelsea being crowned Under-18 Premier League South champions, we will face Manchester City, winners of the North division, in the Under-18 Premier League National Final. Fixture details will be confirmed in due course.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Lewi Richards, Dante Waite (c) (Yisa Alao h-t), Olutayo Subuloye, Calvin Diakite; Landon Emenalo (Isaac Badu 58), Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Reggie Walsh (Heze Grimwade 81); Sol Gordon, Chizaram Ezenwata, Kobe Barbour (Jashayde Greenwood 65)
Unused sub: Toby Bell
Scorers: Walsh 20, 34, Gordon 78, Greenwood 82, Grimwade 88Booked: Waite40, Gordon 75

Leicester City (4-2-3-1): Freddie Marson (Leo Stretton 78), William Lawrence (Joseph Colangelo-Allen 64), Cole Turner (Harry Jacklin 43), Tinashe Manyumba, Alfie Dignum, Alpha Diallo (c), Bismark Owusu, Luqman Aideed, David Anugo (Jake Fletcher 64), Hugo De Lisle, Joseph Corden (Rollo Szembell 64)