There will surely come a time when the name of an under-21 team is etched onto the Football League Trophy. And many observers believe it is Chelsea's kids who are most likely to leave the purists squealing with disgust by triumphing at Wembley. But their moment will not come this season after Peterborough United's clinical come-from-behind win at Stamford Bridge. Richard Nartey heads home late in the first half to hand Chelsea Under-21 the lead Marcus Maddison grabbed Peterborough United's final goal in the comeback victory MATCH FACTS CHELSEA UNDER-21: Cumming; Colley, Nartey, Guehi; Grant (c), McEachran (Redan 76), Gallagher, Gilmour, Castillo; Taylor-Crossdale (Anjorin 61), Ugbo (Brown 84) SUBS NOT USED: Ziger (GK); Lavinier, Mola, Maatsen Coach: Joe Edwards GOAL: Nartey 45 BOOKED: Gilmour PETERBOROUGH UNITED: Chapman; Ward, Naismith (c), Tafazolli, Lafferty (Denton 87); Maddison (Godden 90), Reed, Cooke, Dembele; Tomlin (Cooper 46), Toney SUBS NOT USED: O'Malley (GK); Lyon, Bennett, Stevens Manager: Steve Evans GOALS: Dembele 64; Toney 72; Maddison 74 BOOKED: Reed Manchester City will tend the academy flame alone in the Checkatrade Trophy quarter-finals this year after the Blues, semi-finalists 12 months ago, were left well beaten by their League One opponents. When Richard Nartey powered home a header late in the first-half, it looked as though Chelsea's latest cohort of outrageously talented teens would claim another scalp. But Peterborough dominated the second half and ultimately earned their place in Thursday's draw with a thrilling comeback. Goals from Siriki Dembele, Ivan Toney and Marcus Maddison preserved Football League pride on this occasion. Chelsea's youngsters will learn plenty from this experience and from the test of taking on, and losing to, hardened professionals. And if there is any value in this competition in this format, that must be it. This was a contest that took a long time to warm up on a chilly west London evening. The visitors, chasing a play-off spot in League One, made most of the early running. The muscular presence of Lee Tomlin, who drifted in and around the front line, and the direct, driving runs of right-winger Marcus Maddison caused Chelsea's youngsters a few early headaches. Coach Joe Edwards watches his Chelsea Under-21 team crash out of the Checkatrade Trophy The author of Maddison's Wikipedia entry may have used plenty of poetic licence when he compared his skills to Mesut Ozil but at least he was willing to have a crack, firing high and wide early on. Chelsea gradually settled, with Juan Castillo making gains against Joe Ward down the Chelsea left. The dynamic midfielder Billy Gilmour had Chelsea's first chance, a swerving 25-yarder that cleared the crossbar. Tomlin also aimed a long-range effort too high before Maddison managed to achieve plenty of power on a free-kick but insufficient swerve to deceive Jamie Cumming in Chelsea's goal. The match looked to be meandering towards half-time when Chelsea forced one last corner at the start of stoppage time. Joshua Grant attempts to whip the ball in for the hosts during the first half at Stamford Bridge Castillo whipped his boot around the delivery and Peterborough's defenders inexplicably switched off to allow centre-half Nartey to slip in at the near post and power his free header past Aaron Chapman. Steve Evans replaced Tomlin with George Cooper at half-time and he almost made an immediate impact, placing Ward's cut-back just wide of the post. Indeed, there was a much greater urgency about Posh after the break and Maddison curled a shot across goal and wide after stepping inside Marc Guehi. Joseph Colley then produced a brave block to deny Dembele, who looked destined to equalise. But he wouldn't be denied a minute or so later. Dembele showed dancing feet to burst between two blue-shirted defenders on the left and then curled his shot into the far corner with the aid of a deflection. The goal had been coming given Peterborough's control. The visitors moved in for the kill and Cumming made a superb one-handed save to deny Cooper after Toney had nodded the ball down inside the box. Posh stopper Aaron Chapman shows his delight as his team move ahead of their rivals But when Maddison burned down the right for what seemed the umpteenth time with 18 minutes to go, his whipped cross was too good for Posh's leading scorer Toney, who got in front of Colley to divert home his 15th of the campaign. Two minutes later and Chelsea were caught flat-footed at the back when Callum Cooke led a counter-attack through the middle and fed the perfect through pass into Maddison. He ran into a pocket of space, chopped inside onto his left foot and finished with precision. Chelsea refused to wave the white flag and substitute Conor Gallagher chipped an audacious shot onto the crossbar. Chapman made a sprawling, stretching save to deny Ike Ugbo's follow-up. But it was too little, too late as Posh progressed. 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