On Saturday afternoon we returned to Premier League 2 action, hosting West Bromwich Albion at Kingsmeadow.

The game started brightly for Chelsea, who applied instant pressure, leading to an opener through Reiss Denny’s fine finish at the far post.

Despite several scoring opportunities, West Brom managed to hold their ground and block any threatening shots, preventing Chelsea from extending our lead.

After the break, we continued to pressure our opponents, but it was Harry Whitwell who found the back of the net following a quick counter-attack.

Just when it seemed the points would be shared, Whitwell secured his brace as the Blues keeper was caught off guard and dispossessed, allowing the Baggies' striker to place the ball into the open net, stealing the victory from Chelsea.

An intense start

This Premier League 2 fixture kicked off with high intensity and a rapid pace, as both sides fiercely battled for possession.

Chelsea applied immediate pressure on West Brom’s defensive line, with Denny having the first glimpse at goal. Showcasing impressive skill, he found the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a shot, but his effort narrowly missed the post.

We continued to push aggressively, with Brodi Hughes driving the ball upfield before picking out Donnell McNeilly in the area. McNeilly attempted a strike during a scramble, but Joe Wallis reacted well to deny the quick shot.

Another chance soon fell to the Blues. Sixteen-year-old Shumaira Mheuka marked his presence in the box, stealing the ball and almost scoring with a close-range strike. However, a West Brom defender managed to deflect the shot that seemed destined for goal, diverting it wide.

Chelsea's energy remained high as the team pressed as a unit, pinning West Brom back and keeping them under constant pressure.

Denny was involved once again, delivering a sneaky cross to Harvey Vale, who made a well-timed run to meet the ball unmarked. He drilled a low strike, but Wallis was quick to react.

Momentum was clearly building for the Blues, with Ishe Samuels-Smith next to try his luck. He fired a precise shot from close range, but defender Josh Shaw managed to stretch out a leg and block the effort.

Our opponents soon found their rhythm, though, with Akeel Higgins forcing Chelsea goalkeeper Max Merrick into two quick saves. The Baggies’ striker unleashed almost identical stinging strikes from just inside the area, but Merrick was unfazed by the pressure.

The visitors nearly snatched the lead when Devante Cole fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box, but the ball bounced just wide of the far post, offering Chelsea a narrow escape.

As the game reached the half-hour mark, the Blues strung together a lovely spell of team play in search of a goal. Samuels-Smith curled a ball into the box, where McNeilly connected with a header, but once again, Shaw was there to block the effort.

Captain Harrison Murray-Campbell then played a looping ball forward to Hughes, who controlled it effortlessly. Hughes set up Vale, who cut the ball back for Mheuka, but the youngster’s effort was stopped by the keeper.

Finally, an opener

After several warnings, we finally broke the deadlock. Denny capitalised on a smart ball from Samuels-Smith, calmly finishing into the bottom corner next to the post. It was an impressive finish.

Coelho’s side nearly doubled the lead when Vale spotted Mheuka in a one-on-one situation in the box. However, a swarm of Baggies defenders quickly closed in, with Mo Diomande diverting the striker’s shot away from danger.

Despite an action-packed first half, filled with close calls, Chelsea went into the break with just a one-goal lead.

Always wanting more

The Blues came out of the interval with the same aggression we had shown before the break, pressing hard to extend our advantage.

McNeilly once again came close to finding the back of the net with a powerful shot on target, but the Baggies' keeper somehow managed to make the save, rushing off his line to smother the effort.

The Blues continued to push for more. Samuels-Smith delivered a precise curled pass to Vale, who set up Hughes from behind, allowing him to hammer a shot at goal. However, Matt Richards came to the visitors’ rescue, blocking the attempt and preventing Chelsea from extending our lead.

Substitute Ato Ampah wasted no time making an impact, nearly bringing the crowd to its feet.

Linking up well with midfielder Dyer, Ampah displayed some impressive football by nutmegging a Baggies defender and running onto the ball, drilling a low strike just inches wide of the target.

Ampah wasn’t done. He was involved again, bursting down the wing unmarked and unleashing a powerful shot from a tight angle, but the ball rebounded off the post, denying him another deserved goal.

Late disappointment hits

Although we were the more dominant team, our opponents struck back by finding an equaliser. Eseosa Sule created the opportunity, capitalising on a fast counter-attack to find Whitwell, who managed to tuck the ball in from close range, beating Merrick and levelling the score.

Then we unfortunately experienced late-minute heartbreak as in stoppage time, West Brom secured a winner.

Under pressure, Merrick came off his line and lost possession. With no other Blues defenders back, Whitwell capitalised, stealing the ball and slotting it into the open net, taking the three points in the process.

What's next

Chelsea Under-21s will return in the EFL Trophy for a midweek fixture against League One side Bromley on Tuesday evening. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm at Hayes Lane, with tickets available here.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Max Merrick; Brodi Hughes, Kaiden Wilson, Harrison Murray-Campbell (c), Ishe Samuels-Smith; Harrison McMahon (Jimmy-Jay Morgan 84), Kiano Dyer; Harvey Vale, Shumaira Mheuka, Reiss Denny (Ato Ampah 63); Donnell McNeilly (Alex Matos 63)
Unused subs: Travis Akomeah, Richard Olise
Scorer: Denny 36
Booked: Hughes 40

West Bromwich Albion: Joe Wallis, Deago Nelson, Josh Shaw, Iddrisu Dauda (Michael Parker 63), Mo Diomande, Matt Richards, Fenton Heard (Eseosa Sule 63), Cole Deeming, Devante Cole, Harry Whitwell, Akeel Higgins
Unused Subs: Liam Wilkes, Evan Humphries, Adriel Walker
Scorer: Whitwell 77, 90+2