It was a goalless affair between a struggling Harlow Town side and a young Colney Heath side on Saturday afternoon. Both sides have been performing similarly in the league, but it was ultimately the away side that would progress into the next round of the cup, via a penalty shootout.

It was, for the most part, an end-to-end game, with both sides lacking a cutting edge in front of goal. Colney Heath registered the first proper chance of the game after Alex Strazza was found on the right-hand side of the penalty box, hitting a shot that forced James Pellin into a save at his near-post. The shot was going wide regardless.

Down the other end, Louis Stead played a great ball over the top into a space that Ishaq Ameen could run into. The Harlow striker beat his man but placed his shot inches wide of the left post.

Colney Heath proceeded to hit the first shot on target of the game with Strazza hitting it straight at James Pellin, who spilled it but eventually got hold of it comfortably.

Harlow should have scored when Raheem Gray was picked out at the back-post by Denzel Effah. The in-swinging cross found the Hawks striker, who was unmarked, but he connected with it awkwardly and it struck the bar.

Gray went on to miss a crucial chance early in the second half after Denzel Effah played a through ball to him. Trying to place the shot, he brushed it wide of the right post.

Substitute Sachon Edwards almost scored for the away side when he got on the end of a good cross but he also hit the bar.

After a couple of ambitious shots from distance, the game fizzled out and ended goalless. In all honesty, at times it felt as though the game could have gone on for hours more and still lacked a goal.

As a result, the game went to a penalty shootout, and the penalties unfolded as follows:

1-0 Colney Heath - Alex Strazza smashes it into the bottom left.

1-0 Colney Heath - Louis Stead’s penalty saved in the bottom-left corner.

2-0 Colney Heath - Sam Ejjayha scores in the bottom right.

2-1 Colney Heath - Raheem Gray scores down the middle.

3-1 Colney Heath - Sachon Edwards slots it in the bottom-left.

3-2 Colney Heath - Denzel Effah curls it into the left side of the goal.

3-2 Colney Heath - Eames-Illingworth sees his penalty saved down the middle by Pellin.

3-3 - James Love passes it into the bottom-right corner and levels the shootout.

3-3 - Teddy Jones sees his penalty saved. He shot to the right but it was quite central.

3-3 - With a chance to win the game, Harvey Steel misses his penalty. It was saved in the bottom-left.

4-3 Colney Heath - Bolding scores his penalty for Colney Heath in the bottom right.

4-4 - Korede Da Silva, who needed to score, sends Gauthier the wrong way and scores.

5-4 Colney Heath - Kanyere steps up and sends Pellin the wrong way, scoring for Colney Heath.

5-4 Colney Heath - Syrus Gordon steps up for Harlow and misses as his penalty is saved to the right hand side and Colney Heath progress to the next round.

Overall, it was a bit of a stale game, and a penalty shootout is often a lottery. We exit the Gladwish Challenge Cup.

Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you at tomorrow’s game as we travel to Dunstable Town in the league.