U21s Report: Resilient Palace earn point against Chelsea

Summary

• Paddy McCarthy made eight changes to the side which beat Hertha Berlin

• Malcolm Ebiowei hit the bar in the opening minute

• Chelsea took the lead through Omari Hutchinson a quarter of an hour in

• He nearly doubled the lead for Chelsea after hitting the post from a free-kick 30 minutes in

• Killian Phillips headed narrowly wide for Palace just before the interval

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea

• Hutchinson doubled the lead for the visitors right after half-time

• David Omilabu pulled one back for Palace on the hour mark

• Lewis Hall restored Chelsea’s two-goal cushion three minutes later

• With 10 minutes remaining, David Ozoh halved the deficit

• Jack Wells-Morrison calmly slotted in the equaliser deep into stoppage time

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 3-3 Chelsea

Just over a week on from the 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin, Palace faced familiar opposition in the form of London rivals Chelsea.

Paddy McCarthy made eight changes to the side which won at Champion Hill, with only Kaden Rodney, Tayo Adaramola and Malcolm Ebiowei maintaining their starting berths.

After being greeted by the thousands in support at Selhurst Park, Palace came racing out the blocks and nearly took the lead in the opening minute of the game through Ebiowei.

The winger danced his way into the box and managed to shape a shot from a narrow angle on his left foot. His effort beat Eddie Beach in the Chelsea goal, but it just grazed the top of the crossbar before heading out.

Chelsea snapped into action after nearly conceding in the opening minute and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances in the opening exchanges. They managed to take the lead early on through Omari Hutchinson. The midfielder fired an effort from the edge of the 18-yard box into the bottom corner.

Hutchinson was at the forefront of Chelsea’s attack, creating chances and attempting to score for himself. He hit the post from a free-kick half an hour in and the rebound fell to Humphreys, though Seán Grehan reacted quickest to slide in and deny a tap-in on the line.

Killian Phillips came closest to pulling Palace level right at the end of the half, though his header from a Grehan flick on went narrowly wide of the post.

The two sides emerged after the break and Chelsea were again on the front foot early on. Owen Goodman pulled off a fantastic reaction save to deny Dylan Williams’ header inside the six-yard box, though Hutchinson reacted quickest to secure his and Chelsea’s second five minutes into the half.

A two-goal deficit was not going to deter Palace from finding a way back into the game. John-Kymani Gordon found the back of the net just moments after Hutchinson’s second, though it was ruled out for offside.

On the hour mark, David Omilabu pounced to pull one back for the Eagles. Ebiowei’s diagonal ball into the path of Gordon saw the in-form striker take a shot on goal - his effort was blocked, though it fell right into the path of Omilabu who was in the right place at the right time to sweep home.

Chelsea immediately restored their two-goal cushion just four minutes later as a deflected effort from Lewis Hall trundled it’s way into the net.

Palace displayed great character as they continued to fight to find their way back into the game. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Gordon had a double chance to halve the deficit, though an effort was charged down and the other went into the side netting.

It looked as though Palace were going to fall to their first defeat of the season with 10 minutes remaining, however David Ozoh had other ideas. Following a short Chelsea goal kick, the midfielder stepped up and won the ball back high up the pitch.

The resulting one-touch link up with second-half substitute Ademola Ola-Adebomi saw him race towards the six-yard before firing in from a narrow angle, sending Beach the wrong way.

In the second of seven minutes added on for stoppages, Palace had a corner. Ebiowei floated it in and it was met by a Chelsea head.

It fell only as far as skipper Jack Wells-Morrison who struck it neatly on the volley past a whole heap of Chelsea defenders, past Beach and into the back of the net. Palace were level and the Selhurst crowd erupted.

Palace came agonisingly close to winning it in the dying embers of the game shortly after Wells-Morrison equalised. Another corner saw Kofi Balmer’s effort cleared off the line and the resulting Ebiowei shot from close range turned behind.

The referee brought an end to proceedings after more than seven minutes of stoppage time. The Eagles’ efforts saw them earn a point in the most dramatic fashion to keep their six-game unbeaten run alive and to ensure their joint-top spot in the Premier League 2 Division 1 was intact.

Crystal Palace: Goodman, Rodney, Grehan, Balmer, Adaramola (Ola-Adebomi, 82), Wells-Morrison, Ozoh (Watson, 90+5), Phillips (Akinwale, 45), Ebiowei, Omilabu, Gordon.

Subs not used: Shala, Mooney.

Chelsea: Beach, Abu, Gilchrist, Humphreys, Williams, Hall (Webster, 77), Hutchinson, Casadei, Burstow (Soonsup-Bell, 90), Elliot (Castledine, 67), Rankine.

Subs not used: Curd, Tauriainen.