In a game live streamed on our platforms, the Young Blues could not convert plenty of attacking play into goals and were punished with 87 minutes played when Norwich did make the most of one their breaks, leaving the home side little time to recover. The better moves an opportunities had come earlier in the game anyway.

The Canaries had not been without chances of their own before the goal but on the balance, it is a game Chelsea will believe we should have won.

A much-changed side from the previous league outing looked dangerous from the off. A bursting run from Ato Ampah led to a save from the Canaries keeper and the Blues winger could not turn in the rebound. It was an awkward ball to control.

Ampah then struck a free-kick given just outside the area which looped up off the wall, forcing a tip-over save from Caleb Ansen. From the corner, defender Noah Hay volleyed crisply but over the bar.

We had reached the midway point in the first half and the frequency of the chances was increasing. Some slick and quick play out from the back led to centre-forward Donnell McNielly (pictured top) picking out the bottom corner, but he was denied by a full-stretch save.

Another Chelsea free-kick whistled over, this time from the boot of Frankie Runham, who was denied in open play when the goalie smothered the ball at his feet.

Just before that came Norwich’s one good chance of the half, sent wide by their central striker Kenneth Aboh. Moments before half-time, Ansen at the other end made a very good save to prevent McNielly giving Chelsea the lead. We reached the break scoreless.

A cleared shot from Somto Boniface began the second half and then McNielly could not beat the keeper when the Blues played a break from our own half well. However the game was more end-to-end now and Aboh hit the Chelsea side-netting.

Our Under-18s looked odds on to score when the ball bounced loose in the six-yard box but the Canaries keeper just managed to intervene.

Moving inside the final 15 minutes, both sides had speculative efforts that looked unlikely to hit the net, and it was from one of these by Chelsea that the late, deciding goal came.

From a quick, long clearance by the opposition keeper, Pedro Amadou played a clever ball behind the retreating Chelsea rearguard for Aboh to finish from close range.

The best chance to salvage something fell to substitute Chinonso Chibueze but he mis-hit a dropping ball.

After the international break, the Under-18s mirror the men’s first team with an away fixture at Crystal Palace on 1 October.

Chelsea Max Merrick; Noah Hay (Josh Acheampong 80), Travis Akomeah (c), Harrison Murray-Campbell, Somto Boniface; Kiano Dyer (Michael Golding h-t), Frankie Runham (Tyrique George 62), Sam Rak-Sakyi (Reiss Russell-Denny 62), Donnell McNielly (Chinonso Chibueze 80), Harrison McMahon, Ato Ampah.

Booked Reiss Russell-Denny

Norwich Caleb Ansen; Benjamin McCabe, Charlie Campbell, Waylon Renecke (Alfie Doy 38), Tyler Williams (Alfie Pinyoun 70); Uriah Duedse, Finley Welch (c), Dubem Eze (Pedro Amadou 61); Harrison Thompson (Michael Reindorf 61), Kenneth Aboh, Osman Foyo.

Unused sub Leon Giller

Scorer Aboh 87

Booked Renecke 22, Doy 40