Chelsea kicked off their Under-18 Premier League season with a 4-2 victory over Crystal Palace in a game which had everything and with a scoreline which didn't tell the whole story.

Chelsea had started brightly at Palace's training ground and took an early lead through a classy opener by Kobe Barbour.

But Palace really grew into the contest and were good value for their 2-1 advantage at the break after Ben Casey's penalty and Charlie Walker-Smith's header.

Some outstanding saves from Chelsea goalkeeper Freddy Bernal in either half helped keep the Blues within touching distance of their hosts and it proved critical as we scored twice in quick succession midway through the second period.

A superb Chizaram Ezenwata free-kick drew us level before Mathis Eboue smashed in his first Under-18s goal three minutes later to put the visitors in front.

The heroics of Bernal, some great last-ditch blocks from the likes of Dante Waite and a surprising miss with the goal gaping ensured we remained in front and then a bizarre own-goal from Walker-Smith effectively ensured we went home with all three points.

Quick start

The Under-18 Premier League South got underway last weekend but with 15 teams in the regional competition, Chelsea were the side who had to sit out the opening round of fixtures.

The Blues made up for lost time though as less than 60 seconds after Eboue had fired a warning shot which went over the bar, we took the lead with just six minutes on the clock.

Everything about the opener was classy. Captain Olutayo Subuloye sprayed a delightful long-range pass into the run of Sol Gordon, who drove at the Palace full-back before delivering a cross to fellow winger Barbour and he calmly slotted into the bottom corner from close to the penalty spot with a low right-footed finish.

The host quickly responded though. An ill-timed tackle from Calvin Diakite led to Palace being awarded a spot-kick and Casey confidentially stepped up to send Bernal the wrong way to make it 1-1.

Chelsea almost regained their lead within a minute. A good run from Barbour preceded a pass into the feet of Ezenwata and he forced a fine stop from Harry Whitworth, who tipped over the bar.

The Blues had been the better side but went behind midway through the first half when a fine in-swinging free-kick from the right by Jacob Fasida was met by the head of Walker-Smith at the far post for 2-1.

A poor crossfield pass from inside the Blues' penalty area almost led to a Palace third soon after when it was intercepted by Makai Bernard-Ferguson but the winger dragged his effort wide of the far post.

Blinding Bernal

Palace continued to pose a threat in the final third and went agonisingly close to making it 3-1 when Casey was slipped through one-on-one, but Bernal did well to save with his feet and the ball was directed just wide.

The offside flag may have ended up being raised but Bernal made another fine - and brave - stop when he rushed out to dive at the feet of Chuks Okoli.

There was a frantic end to the opening period as a Palace attack, which saw two crucial blocks from Chelsea defenders keep it at 2-1, was immediately followed by the Blues going straight up the other end and Eboue having a low strike deflected wide for a corner.

Chelsea Under-18 coach Hassan Sulaiman made a double change at the break, as Harry McGlinchey and Badu were introduced.

The Blues were more solid in the second half but clear-cut chances were hard to come by for both sides, with neither really testing the opposition in the first 20 minutes following the restart.

What a turnaround

But then the Blues turned the game on its head in the space of three minutes.

First, Ezenwata who had been short of service up until that point, equalised with a fine 20-yard free-kick which he arrowed into the bottom right corner on 66 minutes.

Then three minutes later, the Blues went in front when Gordon laid the ball off to Eboue on the edge of the penalty area and he smash a low drive past the goalkeeper at his near post.

The game had burst into life and Barbour curled a shot from distance which forced Whitworth into a save before Palace should have equalised.

Stuart Oduro's drive from deep led to David Angibeaud being slipped in but once again Bernal made another fine stop. However, it looked as though it would be in vain when the ball rolled into the path of Greaves yet he fired over the bar from close range, with the goal empty.

Waite then made a potentially goal-saving tackle before Walker-Smith headed over the bar from a corner.

Chelsea had the chance to wrap the game up when a superb clipped through ball by Ezenwata released Gordon but after rounding the goalkeeper, his shot from a tight angle struck the near post.

The drama was not done yet as Palace were left wondering how they hadn't scored a third goal. The answer, not for the first time, was Freddy Bernal, as he produced an exceptional point-blank save from Oduro's header from inside the six-yard box, and Waite acrobatically cleared from close to his line with Palace attackers lying in wait.

For all the Palace pressure, it was Chelsea who would grab the game's sixth goal and in surprising fashion. Palace centre-back Walker-Smith played a powerful back-pass towards his goal, without realising Whitworth had previously come out for a pass the ball went into the empty net.

There was still time for another Bernal save and Waite block during injury-time, while Ezenwata and Greaves had shots blocked at either end, as the game finished 4-2 to Chelsea.

What's next

The Blues' Under-18s' next game will be on Tuesday at home to Sheffield United in the Under-18 Premier League Cup.

The teams

Crystal Palace: Whitworth, Judd, Somade, Walker-Smith, Fasida, Danaher, Okoli, Bernard-Ferguson (Greaves 73), Frazer-Williams (Angibeaud 73), Martin (Oduro 65), Casey (Lamidi 90+4)
Substitutes not used: Mason
Scorers: Casey (p) 14, Walker-Smith 20
Bookings: Danaher 48, Whitworth 58 Fasida 61

Chelsea: Bernal; Richards, Waite, Subuloye (c), Diakite (McGlinchey 46); Watson (Badu 46), Nicoll-Jazuli, Eboue (Atherton 80); Barbour (Idrissi 80), Gordon, Ezenwata
Substitutes not used: Murray
Scorers: Barbour 6, Ezenwata 66, Eboue 69, Walker-Smith OG (90+1)
Bookings: Eboue 32, Subuloye 49