Sometimes, ages doesn't matter.
Everton fans have been calling for a certain collection of the club's young talent to be thrown into the Premier League deep end for some time now.
Rafa Benitez had been rather reluctant to do so, and you can understand the reasons why. The step up to the Premier League is a tricky one, it's a sink-or-swim environment.
And, of course, with the Blues struggling recently, sometimes it's not great for an inexperienced player to come into the side with the pressure of needing to change things.
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But, the manager was forced into making that decision at Stamford Bridge.
At a ground in which Everton haven't won since the 90s, with the club in the midst of a horrific run of form, and with turmoil off the pitch dominating a lot of conversation, it was certainly not an ideal scenario for a group of young players to step into.
You wouldn't have known that by watching their performances, however.
Let's start from the back of the pitch and with Jarrad Branthwaite, who will of course grab the headlines for being the man to score the most unlikely of equalisers at Stamford Bridge.
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From Anthony Gordon's delightfully whipped free kick to the back post, the 19-year-old tracked the flight of the ball expertly and stuck out an almost telescopic leg to convert the ball home.
His celebration actually summed up his performance in general. Cool, collected, nothing rash or over-the-top.
The same couldn't be said for the scenes in the away end, but it's not just the equalising goal that those fans will appreciate from the centre-back.
He showed maturity beyond his years once again in this match, hardly ever putting a foot wrong despite Chelsea's wealth of attacking talent often looking to target his flank.
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One particular tackle back on Mason Mount in the closing minute of the game exemplified that expertly. He timed it to perfection, recovering with sheer pace and stamina, to show that he is ready for this level.
He signed a new contract with the Blues last week, and he could save them millions in the future with performances like that.
But he's not the only youngster that needs credit, of course.
Ellis Simms up front was making his Premier League debut in this match having been only utilised on the bench for other games so far this term.
Talk about a baptism of fire.
He wasn't a constant threat to the opposition, granted - but who could have realistically expected him to be when Everton had such little possession?
While the chances for him to score weren't there, he made his presence absolutely felt with a tireless physical display against a world-class centre-back in Thiago Silva.
His hold-up play and closing down of the defenders was a crucial aspect of Everton's defensive setup in this match. If you'd not seen him play before, don't be judging his goalscoring prowess on a game in which he got no chances.
And then there was Lewis Dobbin, who came on to replace his old under-23s team-mate in the second half.
He might play in the same position to Simms but they are completely different players. The 18-year-old is always on the last shoulder, wanting to use his ridiculous pace to get in behind a back line.
He almost did that on a couple of occasions, too, but perhaps sometimes his usually tricky and dependable feet let him down slightly.
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You can forgive him for maybe feeling the pressure, though. While this wasn't his Premier League debut, this was by some stretch the most minutes he's got at this level so far.
His constant sprints around the pitch were exactly the burst of energy Everton needed in the closing stages, as well.
Chelsea's defenders must have been gutted to see the teenager right on top of them whenever they were in possession, rushing them into making a fair few mistakes in the second half.
Tyler Onyango should of course get a brief mention for his late cameo. too, proving that youngsters can come through into the side and perform at this level.
There will be a lot of Evertonians who travelled home on Thursday feeling vindicated in their wishes to see these youngsters in the side.
It's a first step in a long road, that must be said. There's no need to get ahead of ourselves because of this game.
But, these lads did at least prove that age sometimes just doesn't matter.
