LEVI Colwill feels Chelsea delivered the perfect response to last weekend’s 4-1 thrashing at Newcastle by beating Brighton on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino made clear publicly the tame display at St James’ Park had been acceptable and the message was clearly understood by Colwill, who made it 2-0 against the Seagulls shortly after Enzo Fernandez broke the deadlock.
Facundo Bounanotte pulled one back on 43 minutes and Chelsea’s nerves weren’t helped by Conor Gallagher picking up a second yellow on the stroke of half-time to leave the hosts a man short.
That didn’t stop Fernandez adding his second of the afternoon from the spot on 65 minutes but Joao Pedro’s stoppage time header with eight additional minutes still on the clock set up a tense finale.
Colwill was initially penalised for handling a cross in the final seconds, although VAR clarified the ball had hit the young defender’s head and the penalty award was overturned.
So quite an afternoon in SW6, but for Colwill the most important aspect was bouncing back quickly from that horror show in the north east.
He said: “It was a good reaction to last week. We had to come to prove a point.
“When going down to 10 men, we had to show everyone we are a strong enough team to see it through, which we have done.
“Of course, you find different things out about yourself and your teammates. We’ve always known we’ve had it in us.
“We just had to show it to everyone else today. We are buzzing to get the three points and give that to the fans.”
The goal against Brighton was Colwill’s first for his boyhood club, although he kept the celebrations respectful after enjoying a loan spell last year with the Seagulls.
And he admits it is everything he dreamt about having come through the Stamford Bridge ranks.
Colwill said: “This is what every little boy in the academy thinks about.
“I am so happy to be living my dream.
“This moment means everything to me after growing up through the club and academy.
“It was a lot of emotions after I headed it in, but I wasn’t sure if the referee would give it – and he gave it!
“I ran off to celebrate my first Premier League goal but then realised it was against my old team, so I needed to show them some respect, which I did.
“Brighton, the fans and the manager did a lot for me, and I wouldn’t be here without them and chose not to over-celebrate.
“It was the least I could do.”
Colwill added: “I am hoping to get many more for Chelsea.
“I have so much more I need to prove.
“Hopefully, I can prove how good I can be.”
