Report & Highlights: Palace through to PL2 play-offs despite Chelsea defeat

Summary

• Gibbard came into the side for Reid as the only change

• 2: Ola-Adebomi sees a shot deflected out early on

• 18 - GOAL: Chelsea take the lead via Antwi

• 24: Moulden makes a good stop to deny Samuels-Smith from a corner

• 35: Hughes’ shot on a break is blocked

• 43: Ola-Adebomi sees another shot blocked inside the box

• 45: Grante scores to level, but it’s ruled out for offside

• 45+1: Browne blocks McNeilly’s effort inside the box

• HT: Palace 0-1 Chelsea

• 51: Moulden makes himself big to deny Samuels-Smith

• 55: Stutter hits the crossbar with a header

• 65 - GOAL: Ola-Adebomi levels for Palace

• 70 - GOAL: McNeilly reclaims the lead for Chelsea

• 75 - GOAL: Stutter adds a third for Chelsea

• 85: Cardines and Williams almost combine to pull one back

• 90+4 - GOAL: Olise scores for Chelsea

• 90+7 - GOAL: Umeh pulls one back, but it’s too late for Palace

• FT: Palace 2-4 Chelsea

Ten days on from their dramatic 5-2 win away from home against West Ham United, Crystal Palace Under-21s welcomed London rivals Chelsea to Sutton in their final Premier League 2 league phase game.

Head coach Darren Powell made one change to the side which beat the Hammers, with Joe Gibbard coming in to replace Dylan Reid in midfield. Dean Benamar featured on the bench for the first time at U21s level.

Palace nearly got off to the perfect start early on, with the in-form Ademola Ola-Adebomi seeing a shot deflect past Ted Curd in the Chelsea goal, but narrowly wide of the post.

Chelsea took the lead with their first attack of the game, shortly after the quarter of an hour mark. An incisive ball in behind found Ronnie Stutter on the left hand side and the Chelsea winger cut it back across the box for Genesis Antwi to finish from close range.

The visitors were on top after taking the lead and enjoyed more of the ball and created more chances. Ishe Samuels-Smith nearly found the second for Chelsea after the half-hour mark, following a corner, but Louie Moulden made a strong save to deny him.

Chances came and went for both sides as the half went on, with Brodi Hughes and Ola-Adebomi seeing further efforts blocked. Jake Grante managed to find the back of the net for Palace just before the break, flicking in a header from inside the six-yard box, but he was adjudged to be offside.

After the interval, there was still more Chelsea pressure on the Palace goal. Moulden again made himself big to deny Samuels-Smith, while Stutter followed-up by powering a header onto the crossbar inside the opening 10 minutes.

Rio Cardines, introduced on the hour-mark, nearly had an instant impact off the bench as he got on the end of a direct ball down the middle and picked out Ola-Adebomi. The towering striker was brought down as he got a shot away, but no penalty was awarded.

He did find the back of the net five minutes later, however, to draw Palace level. He won the ball back near the centre circle and found Kaden Rodney, who in turn picked out Zach Marsh.

The striker fired a shot on goal that was blocked, but fell neatly into the path of Ola-Adebomi who saw his goalbound effort deflect off a Chelsea defender and up and over Curd who got a hand to it.

Palace’s parity was quickly removed as Chelsea reclaimed the lead and then added a third within 10 minutes of the equaliser. Donnell McNeilly put the visitors back in front with a well-taken finish after holding off two challenges and Stutter then got his goal to cap a good move.

The south Londoners were still in search of a way back into the game in the time that remained. Cardines nearly picked out substitute Seb Williams with a cut back across the box, though Chelsea recovered just in time to clear it away.

There were two goals late on in stoppage time: with Richard Olise, brother of former Palace star Michael, adding a fourth for the visitors and Franco Umeh getting a goal in the dying embers of time added on.

Defeat brings an end to Palace’s unbeaten run in the league and secures a sixth place finish overall ahead of the play-off phase.

Details regarding Palace’s opponents in the play-off phase will be confirmed in due course.

Palace: Moulden (GK), Kporha (Cardines, 61), King, Grante, Browne, Gibbard (Williams, 76), Umeh, Rodney, Ola-Adebomi, Mustapha, Marsh (Benamar, 76).

Subs not used: Jemide, Eastwood (GK).

Chelsea: Curd (GK), Hughes, Murray-Campbell, Wilson, Samuels-Smith, Emenalo, Antwi (Ezenwata, 79), McMahon, McNeilly (Walsh, 85), Dyer (Harrison, 85), Stutter (Olise, 79).

Sub not used: Austin (GK).