Our chances of winning the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup are now higher than ever, following a terrific win against Haverhill Rovers. The entire team showed immense character and four fantastic goals settled the score between the two sides. Jack Zielinski seems to be fitting in incredibly well, grabbing a brace in his second start for the Hawks, and Danny Chapman made the right changes at the right times, with Arley Barker, Bobby Kirby and Korede da Silva showing energy and causing havoc in the second half for the Haverhill defence.

Haverhill are a side that play in the Thurlow Nunn First Division North (Step 6), and sat 16th in the league before playing us. Their stadium, The New Croft was very well-kept and hosted an enjoyable away day.

There was a LOT of highlights in this game, so I will summarise them all simply.

Highlights:
1’ – Haverhill come forward with the first attack of the game. They shoot from distance and the effort flies over the bar, not causing James Pellin any trouble.

4’ – Haverhill given the chance to shoot with Callum Harrison, after a good ball by Ryan Twinn. The Haverhill forward bends the shot just wide to the right of James Pellin’s goal, narrowly missing the opportunity.

6’ – Harlow Town corner is delivered into the penalty box. Fabion Simms connects well, heading it onto the left post before Haverhill clear the danger.

10’ – One of our best passages of play all game. Alex Luque plays a ball down the line which Raheem Gray back-heels to Jack Cousins who plays a beautifully composed ball into a pacing Jack Zielinski. The striker takes it round the keeper but his effort was miraculously cleared off the line for a corner.

11’ From that corner, Ruben Santos plays a delivery into the front post, where Jack Zielinski gets enough contact to head it home. We take the lead early on.

21’ – Raheem Gray attacks down the right hand side and plays it square to Alfie Attrill who shoots low, but the Haverhill keeper makes a good save. Seconds later, Junior Dadson has an effort on his left foot which sails well wide.

24’ – Jimmy Nottage gets a chance to cross it into the box, which he executes. Haverhill struggle to clear the ball, and it falls for Alfie Attrill who tamely shoots into a defender. The ball then falls for Jack Zielinski, who blasts it but was denied by the Haverhill keeper.

29’ – Ryan Twinn sprints goalwards, and cuts into the box when Fabion Simms slides in. He wins the ball, but the referee points to the spot and the penalty is given. Tom Debenham buries the penalty bottom left and levels the game.

31’ – Poor defending from Haverhill gives Junior Dadson a chance to volley, but the effort lacked conviction and as a result went wide of the post.

36’ – In what could’ve been a moment of individual brilliance, Junior Dadson attacked from the right hand side, before cutting inside and shooting over the bar.

39’ – James Pellin is forced to make his first save of the game after Haverhill attacked down the left side. The keeper gets down well at his near-post to kill the danger.

44’ – Jimmy Nottage dribbles through a number of Haverhill players before shooting on his right foot. The shot swerved and with the keeper scrambling, the shot goes wide.

46’ – At the beginning of the second half, Harlow are awarded a free-kick on the left flank. From around 35 yards from goal, Jack Cousins puts a marvellous cross into the box and James Folkes heads it in with a bullet header. The keeper was nowhere near as it flew into the top-right corner, giving Harlow the advantage for the second time.

60’ – Jimmy Nottage plays an excellent looping ball over the top into a sprinting Raheem Gray. Raheem takes it ahead of the defender, but one-on-one with the keeper, he sends it just wide on his left foot.

62’ – James Folkes sprints through about four players before shooting from 25 yards over the bar.

63’ – James Pellin makes a save that keeps us in the game, as the Haverhill striker was one-on-one with him. He quickly got down, making a commendable stop.

78’ – Bobby Kirby gets a chance to shoot, and the Haverhill goalkeeper produces a great save to deny him, before Jack Zielinski headed it over with an open net.

79’ – Yet again, James Pellin called into action after a Haverhill forward cuts into the box and James makes another good low save to his right.

87’ – Arley Barker picks out Bobby Kirby fantastically, who takes the shot in the box and it goes just wide.

88’ – Bobby Kirby makes a blistering run down the left-hand side, and finds Korede da Silva, who’s skills were too hot to handle for the Haverhill defenders. Korede plays the ball to his right, where Arley Barker stood and fired it past the keeper from the edge of the box. The win confirmed for Harlow.

90+2’ – Ruben Santos gets a free kick from 25 yards, which he shoots just wide to the right of the goal.

90+5’ – Bobby Kirby gets another opportunity to shoot from the left. He blasts it at the keeper who anticipated it well.

90+8’ – Bobby Kirby bursts forward down the left-hand side, passing a number of defenders before playing a pass across goal and finding Jack Zielinski, who couldn’t miss. Harlow led by four.

In the end, it was a very exciting game, in which the entire team worked hard and we controlled proceedings. We look forward to the next round of the competition.

We’d like to thank you all once again for your support, and our next game is on 16th December against Enfield Borough at home in the League.