KANE Hemmings struck deep into stoppage-time to earn Oxford United a draw against Chelsea’s development side and seal progress in the Checkatrade Trophy.

The substitute tapped in Chris Maguire’s low cross to set up a 34-penalty shoot-out in front of a small crowd at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea won the extra point when Wes Thomas’s effort was saved by Bradley Collins, who had just struck what proved to be the winning effort from 12 yards.

The Premier League hosts had looked set to win the game through a precise finish from Josimar Quintero just before the break.

United struggled to create chances until the very end of the game and while they were boosted by Rob Hall playing more than an hour on his return from injury, Liam Sercombe picked up a knock.

U’s boss Michael Appleton rotated heavily from the side which beat Merstham 5-0 in the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday, with only Simon Eastwood, Aaron Martin and Sercombe keeping their places.

Of the eight players to come in, the most notable was Hall – making his first appearance since rupturing cruciate knee ligaments in April.

Chelsea featured Kurt Zouma, a £12.5m signing in 2014, who was also returning after a serious knee problem.

The hosts made a bright start and Ike Ugbo almost waltzed through in the second minute, but a combination of Phil Edwards and Martin snuffed out the danger.

Hall was quick to make an impression, testing Chelsea goalkeeper from range.

As the game settled down, so did the efforts on goal as both sides kept the ball well without causing problems in the final third.

Sercombe had United’s only good chance of the half, which arrived on 36 minutes, but he should have done better than shoot wide from 12 yards after Edwards’s cutback.

Chelsea finished the half strongly and Marco van Ginkel turned Ola Aina’s driven cross on to the inside of Eastwood’s right-hand post.

The Netherlands international was involved again when the deadlock was broken just before the break.

Van Ginkel’s cross from the right was laid off smartly by Ugbo for Quintero, who caressed the ball into the right corner of the net from 22 yards.

It was almost 2-0 within a minute, but Eastwood stood up well to parry a fierce effort from Ugbo.

Van Ginkel should have struck just before the hour, shooting inches wide from ten yards after Aina and Mason Mount combined.

Marvin Johnson, who replaced the hobbling Sercombe, Hemmings and Thomas were all thrown on by Appleton in search of a way back into the game.

United struggled with their final ball until stoppage-time.

Collins saved well to deny Thomas from Johnson’s pass, but the goalkeeper was finally beaten by Hemmings to set up the spot-kick marathon.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Collins, Colley, Zouma, Dabo, James (Grant 72), Ali, Quintero, Aina, Van Ginkel, Ugbo, Mount (Maddox 90).

Unused subs: Christie-Davies, Scott, St Clair, Cumming, Taylor-Crossdale Booked: None.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Nelson, Martin, Skarz, Sercombe, Rothwell, Lundstram, Hall, Crowley, Maguire.

Subs used: Johnson (Sercombe 55), Hemmings (Hall 67), Thomas (Crowley 78).

Unused subs: Brown, Welch-Hayes, Ruffels, Ledson.

Booked: None.

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Attendance: Not given.