The clash kicked off at a high tempo, with Chelsea and Crystal Palace level on points and eager to gain the upper hand before the Premier League 2 play-offs begin.

Chelsea struck first with a well-worked team move. Ronnie Stutter delivered a superb cross, and Genesis Antwi was perfectly positioned to finish, scoring his second goal of the season and giving us a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Palace responded early in the second half, as Ademola Ola-Adebomi’s deflected strike brought the game level. However, we quickly regained the lead, when Donnell McNeilly showed composure to find the bottom corner. Just five minutes later, Stutter added a goal to cap off his tireless performance, hammering in a powerful low shot to extend our advantage.

Richard Olise, making his first appearance since returning from injury, sealed the win in stoppage time with a fine strike. Palace managed a late consolation through Franco Umeh, but it was never enough to threaten our lead.

The 4-2 victory sealed third place for Chelsea, earning us a home draw in the upcoming championship play-offs and giving us valuable momentum as we head into the final stage of the season.

Finding our feet

Crystal Palace started brightly, enjoying spells of possession and applying early pressure on Chelsea’s back line. However, our central defensive duo - Harrison Murray-Campbell and Kaiden Wilson - remained composed, dealing with the initial threats effectively and ensuring goalkeeper Ted Curd wasn’t called into action too often.

Despite Palace’s strong start, we soon settled into the game, and a quick counter-attack gave us our first real chance of the match. Antwi sparked the move, racing down the wing with blistering pace, before cutting the ball back into the box. Midfielder Landon Emenalo arrived just in time, but his first-time shot flew just over the crossbar.

The match quickly became an entertaining back-and-forth. Play swung rapidly from one end of the pitch to the other, with Antwi continuing to cause problems for the Palace defence, always looking to link up with forward Stutter in the area.

But Palace were relentless, with Caleb Kporha producing a dangerous moment. Charging into the box, he unleashed a powerful low ball across goal, which thankfully skimmed wide of the far post.

Brilliant breakthrough

We didn’t have to wait long to make our mark. Ishe Samuels-Smith delivered a perfectly weighted pass out wide to Stutter, who controlled it well and sent a precise ball into the penalty area. Antwi timed his run to perfection, meeting the ball with a composed finish, tapping it past Louis Moulden to give us the lead. It was a beautifully worked team goal.

Just minutes later, we came close to doubling our advantage. A corner from Kiano Dyer was deflected by a Palace defender, and the loose ball fell kindly for Samuels-Smith just outside the box. He struck it first time with power, but Moulden reacted superbly, diving at full stretch to turn it away.

As we neared the half-hour mark, our confidence continued to grow. We enjoyed more possession, applying pressure high up the pitch and pinning Palace deep in their own half. Dyer was everywhere, covering ground and linking up play, and with the momentum clearly in our favour, another chance felt inevitable.

However, Palace were still very much in the contest. As half-time approached, they pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Caleb Kporha remained their most dangerous player, driving upfield before cutting the ball back for Joe Gibbard. He struck from close range, but Curd was alert, gathering the ball cleanly.

There was one final scare before the break. Hindolo Mustapha lifted a dangerous ball into the box, where Jake Grante rose highest and powered a header toward goal. The ball hit the back of the net, but the assistant referee’s flag had already gone up for offside. It was a close call, but it meant we went into the break with a deserved one-goal lead.

Chelsea started the second half with intent, creating the first real chance as we looked to extend our lead. Dyer played a clever through-ball down the wing for Samuels-Smith, who controlled it well and weaved his way into the box. He unleashed a powerful low shot on target, but Moulden adjusted quickly to smother the effort.

Moments later, we came agonisingly close again. McNeilly floated a perfectly placed ball into the box, which Stutter met with a header. The effort had both power and precision but crashed against the crossbar, denying him a well-deserved goal.

Despite our momentum, Palace managed to find a way back into the game with a frustrating equaliser. After a quick counter-attack, Zach Marsh took a shot that was initially blocked by a Chelsea defender. However, Ola-Adebomi pounced on the rebound and, with a heavy deflection, the ball looped over our keeper's outstretched fingertips, levelling the scores.

Fighting spirit

Chelsea responded with character and composure. Samuels-Smith picked out McNeilly in space, and the forward showed great confidence as he dribbled into the box and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the bottom corner, restoring our lead.

The momentum continued to build. Stutter, who had been a constant threat throughout the game, finally got his well-deserved goal. Charging upfield with support from Samuels-Smith, he exchanged a quick one-two before finishing smartly to give us a 3-1 advantage.

With time running down, the Blues kept pressing for a fourth. As we entered the last 10 minutes, head coach Filipe Coelho made a change to bring on Olise, who immediately made an impact on the wing. Another lively addition was young Chizaram Ezenwata, who took a powerful strike that narrowly flew over the bar with wicked spin.

We had to stay focused through seven minutes of stoppage time, during which the team displayed real grit, and even netted a fourth goal. Olise marked his return in style, scoring with a brilliant individual effort. After linking up with Ollie Harrison, he surged forward, held off his marker with strength and control, before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

Palace did manage a late consolation through Umeh, but it was much too late to spark a comeback.

What it means

Chelsea Under-21s have finished third in the Premier League 2 table, comfortably qualifying for the play-off stage which decides the overall champion. As one of the top eight, we will be at home in the first round, and will take on the side which finishes 14th after the final few matches are completed this week. Fixture details will be confirmed following the official draw by the Premier League and announced in due course.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Ted Curd; Brodi Hughes, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Kaiden Wilson, Ishe Samuels-Smith; Landon Emenalo, Harrison McMahon (c); Genesis Antwi (Richard Olise 79), Kiano Dyer (Ollie Harrison 85), Ronnie Stutter (Chizaram Ezenwata 79); Donnell McNeilly (Reggie Walsh 86)
Unused sub: Hudson Sands
Scorers: Antwi 18, McNeilly 70, Stutter 75, Olise 90+4
Booked: McNeilly 5, Wilson 37

Crystal Palace (3-4-3): Louis Moulden, Caleb Kporha (Rio Cardines 61), George King, Jake Grante, Luke Browne (c), Joe Gibbard (Sebastian Williams 75), Franco Umeh, Kaden Rodney, Ademola Ola-Adebomi, Hindolo Mustapha, Zach Marsh (Dean Benamar 76)
Unused subs: Eyimofe Jemide, Billy Eastwood
Scorers: Ola-Adebomi 65, Umeh 90+6
Booked: Rodney 57