It was pure joy for the players and supporters of Harlow Town FC at the weekend, as they aimed to defend last season’s League Challenge Cup win once again, and progressed to the final of the competition for the second year running.

In similar fashion to last year’s semi-final against Long Melford, there was nothing to split the two sides in normal time, with Ely opening scoring at the very beginning of the second-half, and Harlow swiftly equalising - before the game was decided on penalties.

Danny Chapman’s side was slightly changed from their win over Burnham Ramblers the week before, with Jack Haley being replaced in the starting lineup by Teddy Jones, and Gavin Cockman being out with a slight injury meant that Fred Agyemang returned to the starting lineup.

On paper, Ely City were the favourites to win this game, being a Premier Division side (Step 5), however the Hawks didn’t count themselves out being 2nd place in the Division One South of the Thurlow Nunn League (Step 6).

With 719 supporters at the Pardus Wealth Stadium (club record attendance for the season), the ground was rocking in anticipation of a huge game. Although mainly filled with Harlow supporters, a group of Ely City fans made the trip down and were also cheering on their side.

Ely City found themselves with the opening chance of the game after Alex Kerr slipped in Tom Stoker, who took on a shot on the edge of the box, but it was a rash effort that was far from hitting the target.

Continuing in their stride, Ely hit yet another effort via Tom Stoker, this time hitting the target, but with a lack of sting and so James Pellin could collect it.

The reds worked their first chance of the game as Dan Heald, who was playing right-midfield in this game, whipped it into Syrus Gordon, who headed it straight at the Ely keeper, Tyler Key.

Continuing the trend of shots leading to very little, Ely’s Alex Theobald whacked one at goal on the turn but, from much closer range to before, his shot still traversed wide.

The half-time break had arrived after a first-half in which Harlow had dominated possession, but neither side had made any clear cut chances.

With both sides looking to come out strong in the second-half, it was Ely City who took the largest step ahead, as after winning an early corner, they whipped it into the box and Joe Brannan headed home in emphatic style, with the ball clipping the underside of the crossbar on the way in, making it extremely difficult for Pellin to stop it. In a flash, the away side had a lead to hold onto.

In this early period of the second half, Ely looked to be running riot, with Sam Tagg almost killing off the game after James Love’s lopsided header found the Ely player in the middle of the box. However, Arley Barker flew in to heroically block Tagg’s half-volley.

Joe Brannan was found once again from a corner for Ely, with the Hawks struggling to shut him down, but this time his header travelled wide.

Controversy arose when Ely’s Alex Kerr looked to have made violent contact with Harlow’s Terrell Egbri off-pitch, but the referee deemed there to have been no foul play, and the game continued.

At this point, it was a wake-up call for Harlow, who were 30 minutes away from elimination in what was a defence of their cup, and they did not want to lose it, regardless of who was trying to take it. As a result, they upped the tempo and continued pushing for an equaliser.

The goal almost came for Harlow when Terrell Egbri whipped an in-swinging cross towards a running Fred Agyemang, but the striker, although close, did not make contact with the ball and it bounced out.

After this, Harlow found themselves with a number of opportunities from corners, one of which resulted in an Ely City player clearing the ball off the line after some scrappy play in the box.

From the following corner though, Harlow would find the key to get them back in the game. Arley Barker whipped it in towards the back-post, which was cleared but only as far as Dan Heald on the right-hand side, who was quick to get the ball back into the danger zone, where Fred Agyemang was waiting. His initial effort was saved by Tyler Key but only back into the path of the striker, who smashed it home at the second attempt, levelling the game with 25 minutes to go.

Ely City did not give up though, with Antwan Ebanks-Blake missing a big headed opportunity thereafter, with the game remaining level, but time was fast-ticking away, and with neither side finding a late winner, the game would be decided via a penalty shootout.

In front of hundreds of Harlow Town supporters, the penalty takers prepared, with Ely City taking the first penalties and Harlow second, just like their semi-final last year against Long Melford.

Jacob Partridge stepped up first for Ely City, and found the bottom-left corner excellently.

Terrell Egbri was the first taker for Harlow Town, whose penalty was fairly poor, but it went through Tyler Key and Harlow could sigh as they had equalised the shootout.

Ely City’s captain Louis Jenkins stepped up for their second penalty, also going in the bottom-left and scoring.

Striker Ishaq Ameen stepped up next for Harlow Town, also going bottom-left, passing it into the corner.

After two penalties each, neither side had missed, and every penalty had found the bottom-left corner.

Antwan Ebanks-Blake stepped up for Ely’s third penalty, after having come on off the bench in the second half. Aiming for the top-right, Ebanks-Blake hit it over the frame of the goal, missing the penalty and giving Harlow Town a huge chance to take a lead in the shootout.

Jack Cousins stepped up for Harlow, under immense pressure to provide Harlow with a lead in the shootout. Cousins went bottom-left and scored.

Alex Brown then stepped up for Ely City, knowing that a goal was vital for them to stay in the shootout, and he dispatched his penalty well into the bottom-right corner, the first penalty to find that corner.

Jared Small had the opportunity to put one foot in the final for Harlow Town with their fourth penalty. Already leading the shootout, Small stepped up, sent Key the wrong way, and dispatched it down the bottom-middle, slightly to the left.

Aaron Hamer had to score for Ely or Harlow would progress to the final. Going bottom right, James Pellin matched him and saved the penalty in heroic-style, sending Harlow Town through to their second final in this competition.

The entire Harlow team stormed the pitch, bombarding James Pellin, as he was the hero on the day, the one who will be remembered for sending Harlow Town to the final again.

It was absolute limbs around the stadium for all of the Harlow supporters, who could now look forward to an all Division One South final in May against Hackney Wick, their title rivals this season.

Reflecting on the performance, First Team Manager Danny Chapman noted “It was entertaining. We were a little bit slow in the first half and we needed a high tempo. But second half, our tempo lifted, more spaces opened up. We were disappointed to go one behind from a corner but the reaction from the players was excellent, we stepped it up again, equalised and there was one or two chances after that that I thought we might have been able to nick it.”

“You have to take your hat off to the penalty takers, they were calm, and thankfully we got through.”

“If we do our jobs properly, and if the tempo’s there, we’re capable of beating anyone.”

The Hawks will play Hackney Wick in the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup Final on bank holiday Monday 5th May 2025, at Diss Town Football Club, kicking off at 3pm.