Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal: Colkett and Kiwomya strike to down Gunners starlets as Akpom nets for visitors in FA Youth Cup semi-final

It was enough to persuade even the most sceptical and pessimistic England fan that maybe, just maybe, all the years of big tournament hurt will eventually come to an end.

Chuba Akpom, Charlie Colkett and Alex Kiwomya - three wonderfully gifted, uninhibited and ambitious English players - were on the scoresheet as Chelsea took an inconclusive but crucial first leg lead in their FA Youth Cup semi-final with Arsenal.

It would certainly warm the heart of John Terry, the Chelsea captain watching on at Stamford Bridge, not to mention Three Lions followers across the land, that there players waiting in the wings who are technically able and accomplished finishers.

Salute: Alex Kiwomya celebrates his vital goal with team-mates as Chelsea took the advantage in the semi-final

Skipper's support: John Terry was on hand to watch the Blues' young charge take on their London rivals

Young Guns: Arsenal celebrate Chuba Akpom's goal in front of the travelling support at Stamford Bridge

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea: Mitchell Beeney; Ola Aina, Andreas Christensen, Jake Clarke-Salter (Isak Ssewankambo 75), Fankaty Dabo (Kasey Palmer 87); Jordan Houghton, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (c); Alex Kiwomya, Charlie Colkett, Isaiah Brown (Jay DaSilva 69); Dominic Solanke

Substitutes not used: Bradley Collins, Charly Musonda

Scorer: Colkett 58; Kiwomya 66
Booked: Clarke-Salter, Loftus-Cheek

Arsenal: Josh Vickers; Tafari Moore, Julio Pleguezuelo, Leander Siemann, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill; Glen Kamara, Gedion Zelalem (Jack Jebb 66) ; Ainsley Maitland-Niles; Daniel Crowley, Alex Iwobi; Chuba Akpom (c)
Substitutes not used: Ryan Huddart, Stefan O’Connor, Austin Lipman, George Dobson

Scorer: Akpom 54

Booked: Kamara

Referee: Tim Robinson

All three contributed memorable second-half goals in a London derby that took quite a while to ignite. Once the must-not-lose attitude of the first-half had been cast aside by Akpom’s 54th-minute smash, the brakes were finally taken off and an open, engrossing Cup tie unfolded.

The crowd had been screaming out for a goal and Akpom, enjoying a brilliantly prolific season, obliged for Arsenal after 54 minutes.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles - yes, he’s English too - split the Chelsea defence with the kind of delightful low through ball you might expect from a Spaniard and 18-year-old Akpom, stealing a yard on Ola Aina, smashed the ball inside the near post.

After four goals in seven games in the UEFA Youth League and an identical ratio in the Under-21 Premier League, not to mention strikes for the England youth sides, Akpom is making a good impression.

But Chelsea awoke from their slumber and wrecked Arsenal’s hopes of a first leg lead to take back to the Emirates with two goals in eight minutes.

First, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the English playmaker who was once again excellent here, scooped a cheeky through ball for the onrushing Colkett to finish well across goalkeeper Josh Vickers.

In action: Chelsea's Izzy Brown holds off the challenge from Arsenal's Tafari Moore

Wide open: Akpom celebrates and runs to the away corner of the Shed End

It was a splendid moment of improvisation from Loftus-Cheek and testament to his perseverance having wasted a golden chance to pass wide to the unmarked Kiwomya a minute earlier.

Then, Loftus-Cheek roamed out to the right flank and swung in the perfect ball for Dominic Solanke to thunder a downward header that Vickers did well to block.

Unluckily for Arsenal, the ball spun upwards and Kiwomya, another player enjoying a fine goalscoring season, adjusted his body to acrobatically prod the ball home left-footed.

English players setting up the goals, English players scoring the goals - how it should be in this historic and prestigious competition.

Chelsea’s lead is by no means enough to win the tie and Arsenal will enter the second leg at the Emirates in a week’s time feeling confident they can overturn the deficit and reach their first Youth Cup final since 2009, when a certain Jack Wilshere shone.

Tussle: Chelsea youngster Jay Dasilva jumps Moore's tackle as the Blues head into the second leg 2-1 up

Striking home: Charlie Colkett scores to pull Chelsea back level before Kiwoyma's winner

With Fulham awaiting the winners in the final, neither side looked too keen to go through and meet them. There were occasional glimpses of the abundant potential on show but passing moves were rare, brief and disjointed.

Vickers made a smart double save from Colkett and then Kiwomya on 24 minutes but that had been the first true sight of goal for either team.

At the other end, Akpom’s powerful angled drive stung the palms of Mitchell Beeney and a flicked Alex Iwobi header from a Maitland-Niles free-kick was tipped onto the top of the bar.

Thankfully, the entertainment levels rose significantly in the second half, with the three-goal flurry ensuring our pre-match expectations were met.

After Chelsea’s second, Vickers kept Arsenal in contention with a series of fine reflex saves. He denied Solanke with seven minutes to play and Jordan Houghton fired the rebound wide. Fankaty Dabo strode forward form left-back to force Vickers into another reaction stop as the Gunners lived dangerously.

No matter, both sides are very much in the tie ahead of an intriguing second leg.