It’s happening. It looks like Harlow Town are repeating the history of last season, after a huge win in the quarter-finals of the League Challenge Cup, dominating a Premier Division side once again for the second year in a row in Woodbridge Town and emerging victorious 1-3. You can’t help but feel a slight ‘de ja vu’ after the Hawks demolished fellow Premier Division side Brantham Athletic at the same stage last season 3-0.

The win showed the class and character of the Harlow Town side, who are committed to lifting two trophies come the end of this season, namely the League Challenge Cup and Thurlow Nunn Division One South title, and after the sad news of the passing of Hawks’ groundsman Brian Lane, the reds sported black armbands in memory of Brian, dedicating the victory to him.

New signing James Love came straight into Danny Chapman’s side for the game, and he performed excellently, earning himself the player of the match award after the game.

Woodbridge started the game positively, winning a corner, but Harlow’s defence stood strong to prevent their efforts and get the ball clear.

Gavin Cockman was the first red player to threaten the backline of Woodbridge, with his header being cleared off the line by Daniel Leggett.

James Folkes looked to capitalise on the Hawks’ momentum with a shot from close range, but he couldn’t direct it goalwards, dragging it wide after Tom Jelliman’s free kick.

Glyn Dixon produced heroics for Woodbridge after Fabion Simms headed a close-range effort towards goal, backpedaling. Dixon reached up and tipped it over the bar to keep it level.

Despite the home side’s efforts, it was inevitable that the deadlock would be broken after intense pressure from Harlow Town, and after a Jelliman corner, James Love picked the ball up on the edge of the box before playing it across the box, where Gavin Cockman stood and the striker was never going to miss with the header, providing an early advantage for the Division One South side.

The Hawks were not just satisfied with one goal though, and kept plugging away looking for a second, and almost finding success after Tom Jelliman hit a half-volley narrowly wide, unmarked just outside the box, Dixon glanced as it traversed wide.

It was almost an error from James Folkes as he headed the Woodbridge Town free-kick just wide of his own post, but it was dangerously close to finding the back of the net it what would have been a horror own-goal.

Syrus Gordon decided it was the right time to hit yet another goal of the season contender towards the end of the first-half, robbing a Woodbridge defender and unleashing a devastating half-volley beyond the reach of Dixon to double Harlow’s lead. A superb moment from a legend of the club.

The Hawks came painfully close to securing a third goal in the first-half, after Ishaq Ameen got on the end of Fabion Simms’ header from point-blank range, but Dixon’s reflexes to get down and save it were outstanding, and the half-time score was Woodbridge Town 0-2 Harlow Town.

The second half was much the same story, as Harlow continued to look a level above the Woodbridge Town side, who had just one win in their last 5 games before playing them, but sat seventh in the league above Harlow.

Gavin Cockman eventually departed the pitch and was replaced by Fred Agyemang ten minutes into the second half.

It was the substitute Agyemang who would grab Harlow’s third of the game, as Denzel Effah’s excellent work to get the ball into the box, allowed Ishaq Ameen to lay it off to Fred Agyemang who smashed it into the bottom-left corner with panache, a huge goal for the striker and a goal that would kill any real chance of a Woodbridge comeback.

Soon after, Jack Haley was introduced, but was immediately subbed off after picking up an injury. Arley Barker took his place. Originally leaving the field for Haley was Ishaq Ameen.

Once again, Tom Jelliman almost caused a major threat to the home goal, hitting another volley from outside the box. A dipping one, it almost found the back of the net but went slightly over the bar, onto the roof of the net.

It was all Harlow as Terrell Egbri played the ball across to James Love with pace, and the new midfielder brushed it just over the Woodbridge bar.

James Folkes continued to look for his first goal of the game, after Jelliman whipped in a late free-kick, but the Harlow captain headed just wide.

Luke Mallett opted for a shot from distance for Woodbridge, with time really running out. It was a terrific strike, but James Pellin denied it impeccably.

Woodbridge found a consolation goal in the final seconds of the game, with Southgate’s cross picking out Yule at the back-post, who headed it home, but it was simply too late, and Harlow emerged victorious.

Once again, they came and they conquered, and Harlow Town’s performance was top class to surpass Woodbridge Town and put their name in the semi-final draw. We are yet to know who we will face in the last four of this competition.

We thank you for your fantastic continued support and we look forward to seeing you in our next game, away in the local derby at St Margaretsbury, our first visit there since September 2023.