Ed Brand’s boys trailed 2-0 after a below-par first half and, despite improving after the restart with a double substitution, conceded again to fall 3-0 behind before an hour was played.

However, in keeping with our recent history in this competition, the young Blues pulled off a sensational comeback in the final 20 minutes of the game, scoring four to secure our spot in the last eight of the competition. Charlie Webster, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Malik Mothersille pulled us level before Tudor Mendel-Idowu came off the bench to win it in the fifth minute of added time.

Slow start

Brand made two changes for this one, bringing in Edwin Andersson and new signing Dylan Williams for Zain Silcott-Duberry and Mothersille.

It was a cold evening in Liverpool as the Reds started the game the better of the two sides. We struggled to win the 50/50 challenges, which allowed the home team to dictate the play and some early tough tackles on our boys were an indication of the intent from Liverpool.

We were made to pay for our slow start as Liverpool captain Luke Chambers picked up the ball from just inside his own half and carried it a long way, driving towards goal before smashing it into Prince Adegoke’s net. It was an early blow in the tie.

Positive response

The goal seemingly allowed us to settle down and control possession for a while as we sought a quick response. Soonsup-Bell had an attempt on goal which the keeper had covered as it hit the side-netting.

Our biggest moment of the half came midway through as neat combination play in the middle of the park allowed Webster to play a ball to Harvey Vale. The attacker patiently held on to possession and slipped in the overlapping Andersson, who fired in a delightful cross that but for the keeper’s intervention would have allowed Soonsup-Bell to have a tap-in.

Major setback

Just as we were looking to threaten even more, a further setback came as the home side doubled their lead. A loose pass in the middle was pounced upon and it allowed Kaide Gordon to be put clean through on goal. He remained composed and slid a neat finish under Adegoke. The task was looking like a mountain to climb for our young Blues.

Lifeline

Gordon jinked his way into the box early in the second half and almost grabbed his second of the game, flicking a shot past Adegoke but beyond the far post. Despite that chance, we restarted much quicker and better, with half-time substitutes Mothersille and Silko Thomas injecting some much-needed pace into the attack, which was causing the Reds some trouble.

We were getting closer to the goal but nothing clear-cut was created. Yet on the hour mark we fashioned another big moment as our attack combined well to release Thomas in space at the far post. With the goal gaping and the deficit surely about to be halved, keeper Harvey Davies made an unbelievable save to fingertip the ball over the crossbar.

On such margins are games often won and lost. From the corner, a clearance allowed the Merseyside team to run towards our goal. Melkamu Frauendorf played a lovely weighted pass to Oakley Cannonier and, for the second time, a tidy finish followed as the ball was slid under Adegoke to make it 3-0.

All Chelsea

There were several breaks in play which allowed Brand to give some words of instruction and encouragement to his demoralised players, encouraging them to retain their belief. This seemingly did the job in quick time as Webster soon won a duel in the middle of the park, drove forward and let fly from 25 yards out, finding the bottom corner of the net with the help of a useful deflection.

It was what we deserved after our second-half performance and we struck again with just over 10 minutes of the game to play. Thomas and Williams exchanged passes, with the latter laying the ball off to Lewis Hall.

Our recent senior debutant delivered a fantastic cross in from the left which found the head of Soonsup-Bell and the striker produced a clever flicked header to bring us to within one goal of the hosts.

Thomas proved to be an inspired substitution as he beat his man to deliver a dangerous cross which almost found Mothersille in the six-yard-box. It was all Chelsea at this moment in the game as we were playing solely in the Liverpool half.

A huge opportunity soon went begging as a cutback into the area found Hall on his right foot but the teenager smashed his effort onto the bar in what felt like a big moment. However, our pressure was unrelenting and we soon found a deserved leveller.

After a cross from Vale into the box, a clearance from the home side blasted off Mothersille into the goal to complete an improbable comeback and make it 3-3.

Our boys were now in full control of the game and searching for a winner before the need for extra-time and penalties. We almost secured it as a Mothersille cross found the head of Soonsup-Bell but his effort looped just over the bar.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, up stepped Mendel-Idowu to complete our turnaround as he tapped the loose ball in with an outstretched leg after a Thomas cross to give us the victory and secure our spot in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Our young Blues will now play in the next round against Blackpool or Newcastle United at home.

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Prince Adegoke; Brodie Hughes, Alfie Gilchrist (c), Luke Badley-Morgan; Edwin Andersson (Silko Thomas 45), Charlie Webster, Billy Gee (Malik Mothersille 45), Dylan Williams (Tudor Mendel-Idowu 85); Lewis Hall, Harvey Vale, Jude Soonsup-BellUnused subs: Derrick Abu, Ted Curd, Leo Castledine, Ronnie StutterScorers Webster 70; Soonsup-Bell 77; Mothersille 87; Mendel-Idowu 90+5Booked Hall 45+2; Badley-Morgan 63

Liverpool (3-4-2-1) Harvey Davies; Josh Davidson, Luke Chambers (c), Terence Miles, Lee Jonas (James McConnell 75), Isaac Mabaya, Melkamu Frauendorf, James Balagizi, Oakley Cannonier, Kaide Gordon, Bobby ClarkUnused subs Harvey Blair, Luke Hewitson, Tommy Pilling, James McConnell, Wellity Lucky, Francis Gyimah.Scorers Chambers 5; Gordon 38; Cannonier 59Booked Cannonier, Miles