Watford U18 2-4 Arsenal U18
by Layth Yousif
at Vicarage Road

ARSENAL U18s stormed back from two goals down to beat Watford U18s 4-2 to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.
 
In an entertaining match in front of 2,403 fans at Vicarage Road on Monday evening, Jack Wilshere’s Young Guns overturned a two-goal deficit to stun the home side with a four-goal blitz in only 12 second-half minutes.
 
Wilshere’s former Bournemouth colleague Charlie Daniels must have been dreaming of the last eight of this competition at the interval, after his young charges burst into a two-goal lead.
 
The Young Hornets took the lead as early as the second minute when Michael Adu-Poku made no mistake from close range to make it 1-0 with only 120 seconds gone.
 
On 13 minutes, Watford went 2-0 ahead when former Hitchin Town loanee Tobi Adeyemo doubled the lead, following quick feet and tricky play from No11 Adrian Blake, who found space to square for his colleague to slot home from close range.
 
However, Wilshere steered his charges to a remarkable turnaround. Not least when hooking the underperforming Seb Ferdinand at the break for Osman Kamara brought dividends.
 
Wearing No15, Kamara won a penalty after referee Robert Clausen adjudged Blake to have fouled the substitute in the box. Up stepped the consistently impressive Amario Cozier-Duberry to fire past Hornets’ keeper Gabriel Ortelli to make it 2-1.
 
Moments after the Gunners Premier League starlet Ethan Nwaneri replaced Jimi Gower, Kamara fired home to equalise at 2-2.
 
Michal Rosiak — who had such a torrid opening as part of the Gunners’ beleaguered backline early on — showed character to emphatically fire past the increasingly busy Ortelli to make the scoreline 3-2, after defensive colleague Lino Sousa had his shot parried by the Watford keeper.
 
Cozier-Dunberry capped a stunning comeback to make it 4-2 after netting his second spot kick of the half, as Arsenal made it four goals in only 12 minutes.
 
Seven times winners Arsenal — who last lifted the trophy in 2008-09 with Wilshere starring — will face Cambridge or Sheffield Wednesday at home in the last eight, with their opponents’ tie due to be played on Wednesday.
 
Judged on their form in this competition so far, with an emphatic 6-0 rout of Millwall, followed by a rousing 3-2 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park, Wilshere’s young side must be considered one of the favourites.