Chelsea started our Saturday morning league clash on the front foot, with action-packed play from start to finish. We had early chances and eventually broke the deadlock with a fine finish from Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. It came after Frankie Runham dispossessed a Reading defender, Ollie Harrison delivering a perfect pass for the schoolboy to slot into the net.

Reading responded quickly, capitalising on a defensive mistake by the Blues. Kallum Fuller-Thompson stole the ball, kept his composure and placed it into the bottom corner to level the score. Moments later, just before the end of the first half, Ashqar Ahmed connected with a partially cleared set-piece, putting Reading in the lead.

We came out strong in the second half, but couldn’t find a way past Joshua Welland in the Reading goal. Although Genesis Antwi had several promising opportunities, the shot-stopper did well to block his efforts. As the game approached its end, Ollie Harrison had a penalty saved after Leo Cardoso was fouled, and Reading held on to secure the victory.

Creating chances

Chelsea started the fixture strongly, applying pressure on Reading right from the beginning. Marcell Washington was quick to make an impact, picking up the ball and weaving his way into the box. He found Runham, who unleashed a stinging strike at goal, only for the shot to be deflected by Anthony Dove.

However, Reading soon had a chance of their own. Da'Jarne Martin-Grant played a smart through ball to Verrell George, whose close-range chip forced Kai Crampton into action. While George's attempt was on target, it lacked the power to beat our shot stopper.

After a back-and-forth spell, Chelsea created another goal-scoring opportunity. Antwi used his strength to push forward, forcing Reading onto the back foot. Antwi laid the ball off to Sol Gordon, who found Runham again in a dangerous position inside the penalty area, but our No9's shot was deflected wide by a Reading defender, denying us the opening goal.

Breaking the deadlock

Reading had been given their final warning, and Chelsea soon broke the deadlock with a clinical finish.

After Runham intercepted a loose ball, our captain Harrison played a simple but precise pass to Kavuma-McQueen. Unmarked, Kavuma-McQueen ran onto the ball and fired a powerful shot into the back of the net, leaving Reading’s goalkeeper Welland with no chance.

Kavuma-McQueen nearly added a second goal shortly afterwards. We capitalised on a quick break as Gordon delivered a long looping cross from the wing, finding our goalscorer in space. Kavuma-McQueen took on his defender and tried his luck again, but this time his effort sailed over the crossbar.

Royals hit back

Despite Chelsea's dominance, Reading showed they were still up for a fight. Martin-Grant sent a high curling ball into the area, forcing Crampton off his line to try and catch it. However, George managed to pick up the loose ball and aimed for the open net, but his effort went wide of the post.

Reading's pressure paid off as they equalised by capitalising on a Chelsea defensive mistake. Under pressure as we played out from a goal-kick, Landon Emenalo lost possession, allowing Fuller-Thompson to slot the ball into the bottom corner with a composed finish and level the score.

Chelsea reacted well to the set-back, though. Cardoso weaved through a group of Reading defenders and drilled a low powerful strike, but Welland reacted quickly to push away the effort.

But on the brink of half-time, Reading took the lead. A free-kick was initially well defended, but when it came back into the box the rebound fell to Ahmed, who fired it past Crampton into the centre of the net, leaving Chelsea 2-1 down at the break.

Back out for a fight

The Blues started the second half just as we had the first. Antwi quickly became a clear threat to the Reading defence, using his speed to beat his marker out on the wing. He hammered a powerful effort towards goal from a tight angle, but Samuel Harrison headed it away.

Once again, Reading caught Chelsea's defence off guard with their high press. They applied pressure on Crampton, who was off his line from distance, but George’s looping shot narrowly missed the post, giving the home side a lucky escape.

Frustration grew as another agonisingly close Blues chance slipped away. Antwi combined well with Cardoso, delivering a dangerous square ball that seemed destined for the net, but Welland leapt and plucked it from danger.

With our momentum growing, we kept pushing for an equaliser. In a scramble, Runham found the ball and fired a low strike, but the Reading keeper somehow managed to kick it away, denying him a spot on the scoresheet.

Not long after, Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Martin-Grant made a clumsy foul on Cardoso, bringing him down inside the box. Harrison stepped up, but his low shot was saved as the keeper dived the right way, before his effort from the rebound was blocked by a Reading defender, who slid in to clear it from behind.

In the dying moments of the game, as stoppage time began, Harrison made a quick run and cut the ball back into open space inside the box. Washington fired a powerful shot, but the Reading keeper managed to stretch and deny the attempt.

Despite pushing forward for the remainder of the match, we couldn't overcome Reading's first-half lead, resulting in a 2-1 defeat at home.

What's next

The young Blues will continue Under-18 Premier League action next Saturday as the side will travel to the Staplewood Training Ground to face Southampton, with 11am kick-off.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kai Crampton; Genesis Antwi, Olutayo Subuloye, Calvin Diakite, Marcell Washington; Landon Emenalo, Ollie Harrison (c); Sol Gordon, Leo Cardoso, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Chizaram Ezenwata 67); Frankie Runham
Unused subs: Toby Bell, Joseph Wheeler-Henry, Reggie Walsh, Harry Rodda
Scorer: Kavuma-McQueen 16
Booked: Diakite 40

Reading (4-4-2): Joshua Welland, Da'Jarne Martin-Grant, T-Shay St Louis, Tyler Sackey, Samuel Harrison, Ashqar Ahmed, Carter Bowdery, Anthony Dove (George Booth 60), Verrell George (D'Nayo Hunte 60), Kiyan Coke-Miles-Smith (Thomas Kabza 74), Kallum Fuller-Thompson (Ryan Beacroft 73)
Unused sub: Matthew Pullinger
Scorers: Fuller Thompson 34, Ahmed 45
Booked: St Louis 62, Booth 83