Our under-18s began our 2023/24 FA Youth Cup campaign with an Ethan Nwaneri-inspired 7-1 win at home to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday evening.
Lewis Nolan gave the away side an early opener, but we completely turned the game around in the second half thanks to five goals from Nwaneri, one from Luis Brown, and one from Omari Benjamin.
Myles Lewis-Skelly had a shot saved for the first chance of the game, before Crewe took the lead when Nolan slotted the ball into an empty net after a mistake from Noah Cooper.
Josh Nichols headed clear at the back post as the visitors looked dangerous again later in the first half, and we went into the break one goal down.
Seb Ferdinand struck into the side netting right at the start of the second half, and that was followed by our equaliser.
Nwaneri let fly from 20 yards out and, with the help of a deflection, the ball sailed into the back of the net for 1-1.
With the wind in our sails, we went 2-1 up courtesy of a Brown header from a Michal Rosiak corner, before Nwaneri netted his brace.
After the ball was intercepted by Ayden Heaven, he found Nwaneri, who showed clever footwork in the box to create the space to pick out the top left corner.
Nwaneri completed his hat-trick with just over 20 minutes remaining, receiving the ball from Ferdinand and lifting it over the onrushing Mikolaj Lenarcilc for 4-1.
His fourth and our fifth of the night came in the 74th minute. Substitute Kamarni Ryan laid the ball off for Nwaneri, whose shot was deflected in.
Just one minute later, an unstoppable Nwaneri scored again from the edge of the box, once again set up by Ryan.
In stoppage time at the end of the second half, with the ball ricocheting around Crewe's penalty box, Benjamin was in the right place at the right time to tap in for seven.
What it means
We advance to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, which has to be played by January 20, 2024, and will be away to the winner of tomorrow's game between Fleetwood Town and Liverpool.
What's next
We're back in U18 Premier League South action with the visit of Fulham at London Colney for an 11am kick-off on Saturday, December 16.
Team news
Arsenal XI: Cooper, Nichols, Brown, Kacurri, Heaven, Rosiak, Ferdinand (Ryan 72), Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Dudziak (C) (Benjamin 46), Kamara (Kabia 72).
Substitutes (not used): Rojas, Small, Sweet, Copley.
Crewe XI: Lenarcilc, Danley, Sant, Nolan, Senior, Robinson, Collins, Moore, Allport, Agius (C), Armstrong.
Substitutes (not used): Calder, James, Williams, Perry, Vincent, Parry, Jetta.
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