Our under-21s came from behind to win 4-2 away to Chelsea in Premier League 2 Division One on Friday night.
Deivid Washington opened the scoring at Kingsmeadow, but goals from Taylor Foran, James Sweet, Ethan Nwaneri and a Zak Sturge own goal saw us complete the turnaround, before a late consolation from Jimmy Morgan.
We had a great chance to take the lead early on when we were awarded a penalty for a foul on Josh Nichols, but Nwaneri’s effort was saved by Teddy Sharman-Lowe.
Amario Cozier-Duberry came close when he tried to sneak the ball past the Chelsea goalkeeper’s near post, but it went into the side netting, before Sharman-Lowe tipped a long-range strike from Jimi Gower onto the roof of the net.
Chelsea took the lead in the 22nd minute, Sturge finding Washington, who made no mistake in front of goal.
But we responded just beyond the half-hour mark as a curling Cozier-Duberry effort was parried into the path of Foran to tap in.
Nwaneri and Cozier-Duberry both had further sights of goals before we went into the half-time break level.
Carrying out our defensive duties at the start of the second half, Foran made a crucial block to deny Washington a second, before Karl Hein demonstrated incredible reactions to keep the score level.
Moments later, it was 2-1 to the good, as Sweet dribbled past two defenders to find the space to smash the ball into the top right corner.
Hein made another tremendous save from close range with just over half an hour to go, before Nwaneri shot over the bar from six yards out at the other end.
Thankfully, he managed to put it behind him and get himself on the scoresheet in the 64th minute, giving us a 3-1 lead by poking the ball into the bottom right corner after showing good footwork to get past three defenders.
Both goalkeepers were busy in the final knockings of the match but there was nothing Sharman-Lowe could do about our fourth as Nathan Butler-Oyedeji’s cross led to an own goal from Sturge.
Morgan netted a consolation for Chelsea late on, tapping in from Dylan Williams' delivery.
What it means
We are third in the division, level on points with second-placed West Ham United and four shy of leaders Tottenham Hotspur.
What's next
We're back in action at Meadow Park next Friday for the visit of Spurs.
Team news
Chelsea XI: Sharman-Lowe, Williams, Gee, Hughes, Washington (Morgan 76), Castledine, Golding (Russell-Denny 75), Dyer, Sturge (Samuels-Smith 88), Silcott-Duberry (Richards 76), Stutter.
Substitutes not used: Merrick.
Arsenal XI: Hein, Sweet, Nichols (Jeffcott 65), Foran, Heaven, Oulad M'Hand, Rosiak, Gower, Nwaneri (Kabia 76), Cozier-Duberry, Butler-Oyedeji.
Substitutes not used: Ejeheri, Dudziak, Kamara.
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