Chelsea Under-21s secured our first point of the 2024/25 Premier League 2 campaign against Everton under the lights at Kingsmeadow on Friday evening, thanks to a late Blues equaliser.

The Blues delivered a dominating performance with end-to-end action and multiple goal-scoring opportunities. However, despite being the more dominant side, Chelsea couldn’t find the back of the net until stoppage time.

Isaac Heath broke the deadlock in the second-half by finding open space just inside the area and picking out the top corner to give Everton the lead.

But Chelsea fought until the end, displaying great team effort and strength. Reiss Russell-Denny's stoppage-time header eventually earned Chelsea a well-deserved goal, resulting in the spoils being shared.

Lively start

Chelsea came out with instant pressure and found the first sight of goal within the opening five minutes, when Jimmy-Jay Morgan won a free-kick in a dangerous position outside the area. Russell-Denny took the free-kick short, finding Ronnie Stutter inside the area, who took a strike at goal, but lifted his shot over the crossbar.

Another chance followed shortly after when former Toffee Ishe Samuels-Smith utilised the wing well and made an accurate cross to Stutter, who smashed the effort towards goal. However, the effort drifted wide after being deflected by an Everton defender.

We further marked our dominance when Russell-Denny looped a long ball to Stutter on the wing, who fed an accurate pass to Morgan. The striker fired a shot on target but George Pickford did well to keep out the powerful effort.

Chances flooding in

One thing was certain, Chelsea were on top. We came agonisingly close to finding the opener again when George crossed the ball into the box. Omari Kellyman, unmarked in open space, drilled a low shot but his effort went inches wide past the post.

Harrison Murray-Campbell, the captain for the evening, tried his luck when he got on the end of George’s cut-back and smashed the ball from close range. This time it rattled against the post, giving Everton another lucky escape.

Moments later, Filipe Coelho's squad nearly found the back of the net through a smart run from Samuels-Smith down the flank. He lifted a squared ball into the area, where Morgan managed to connect with a powerful header. But, the effort rebounded off the crossbar denying Chelsea yet again.

Although we dominated possession, it was inevitable that the visitors would soon find their rhythm, which they did moments before the break. Martin Sherif dribbled the ball into the box and took a strike at goal, but Max Merrick extended his arms well to push the effort away.

As the interval approached, the Blues continued to link well as a team, with Josh Acheampong working effectively alongside Harrison McMahon, who fed dangerous balls into our opponents' area. Despite having a handful of close chances, we were unlucky not to find the back of the net as we went into the break goalless.

Growing frustration

The home side came out in the second-half just as we had in the first, with instant determination to find a breakthrough. Russell-Denny forced the Toffees keeper into a save with a whipped effort, before Morgan smacked the rebound over the goal.

The Blues caused chaos in the Toffees’ area but frustratingly still couldn’t find the back of the net. First, Stutter’s stinging strike at goal was well palmed away by the keeper, then George’s effort from a tight angle was also denied.

Despite our chances and a dominating performance, it was Everton who broke the deadlock through a quick-paced press upfield, which ended with Heath managing to beat Merrick with a powerful right-footed shot from just inside the area.


Chelsea’s substitutes, Ato Ampah and Donnell McNeilly, made an instant impression when the two forwards connected well. Ampah worked his way into the area and flicked a ball across the face of goal, where McNeilly almost found the back of the net, but his effort rose above the target.

The story of the evening continued with the Blues remaining resilient and dominating possession, without reward on the score sheet. Ampah dodged a flock of Everton defenders and took a powerful strike at goal, but somehow Pickford managed to cover the ball and protect his backline.

Just in time

An equaliser came just moments before the final whistle during stoppage time, and it was well deserved. Russell-Denny scored with an impressive header from Acheampong’s high cross, sending the ball into the top corner and leaving the goalkeeper with no chance, ensuring the points were shared at Kingsmeadow.

What's next

Chelsea Under-21s will next be in action on Wednesday evening at Kingsmeadow, where we will start our Premier League International Cup campaign against RB Leipzig. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7pm.

Tickets are available for our first international fixture and are priced at £7 for adults and £5 for juniors and seniors.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Max Merrick; Josh Acheampong, Harrison Murray-Campbell (c), Billy Gee, Ishe Samuels-Smith; Harrison McMahon, Reiss Russell-Denny; Ronnie Stutter (Shumaira Mheuka 75), Omari Kellyman (Ato Ampah 59), Tyrique George (Somto Boniface 90+6); Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Donnell McNeilly 59)
Unused sub: Kaiden Wilson
Scorer: Russell-Denny 90+5
Booked: Ampah 70

Everton (4-4-2): George Pickford, Will Tamen (Odin Samuels-Smith 75), Jack Butler, Reece Welch, Elijah Campbell, Luke Butterfield (c), Isaac Heath, Callum Bates (Halid Djankpata 74), Martin Sherif, Francis Okoronkwo (Charlie Whitaker 62), Omari Benjamin (Jacob Beaumont-Clark 88)
Unused sub: Fraser Barnsley
Scorer: Heath 57
Booked: Benjamin 27