Thursday 19 March 2015 09:03, UK
Chelsea U18s have reached the FA Youth Cup final for the fourth consecutive season after a remarkable comeback in the second leg of their semi-final against Tottenham.
After trailing 2-0 from the first leg at White Hart Lane on March 5, the Blues fell further behind early on at Stamford Bridge but hit back to win the tie 5-4 on aggregate with a 5-2 victory.
Striker Shayon Harrison made it 1-0 to Spurs on 30 minutes with a left-foot volley steered beyond Chelsea goalkeeper Bradley Collins, but the hosts equalised when Dominic Solanke fired home Isaiah Brown’s cross and then went ahead through a Brown header just before the break.
The tie was levelled early in the second half when Solanke powerfully headed home to bag his second and the momentum stayed with Chelsea – who have reached the final in five of the last six years.
Four minutes after Solanke made it 3-1 on the night, captain Charlie Colkett grabbed the first of two goals when he caught out Spurs 'keeper Harry Voss with a low, left-footed free-kick from 25-yards out.
Colkett’s second, putting Chelsea 5-3 up in the tie, came from the penalty spot on 72 minutes after Blues defender Ola Aina had been cropped in the box.
Harrison made it 5-4 to set up an anxious final eight minutes, also finding the net from the spot after Fikayo Tomori was punished for handball, but Chelsea held on to complete a superb turnaround.
The Blues' U18s coach Joe Edwards said: "To reach another final is a real testament to the winning mentality we have here.
"To sustain this level of success year after year shows the good work that’s being done in the academy all the way through the system."
Spurs U18s coach Kieran McKenna said: "For the tie to slip away as it did is disappointing and it's a missed opportunity.
“Chelsea had a really good spell before and after half-time, they have some really strong forward players who caused us problems, especially in the air."
In the final, Chelsea will face either Manchester City or Leicester, who contest their second leg on April 8 with the Sky Blues leading the Foxes 3-0.
