Play-off heartbreak struck again for Ely City as their outstanding season came to an end with a 3-1 defeat to rivals Soham Town Rangers in the Thurlow Nunn League Play-Off Semi Final, played in front of a bumper crowd of 716 at the Demcom Stadium.

It was a fitting stage for two sides who have battled throughout the campaign, with Ely entering the tie having secured an impressive third-place finish on the last day of the season, capping another superb season and marking the second consecutive year the Robins have reached the play-offs. Along the way, they overcame a series of tough fixtures, underlining their consistency and resilience across the campaign against teams with more generous of budgets.

The match itself began at a frenetic pace. Soham tested early from a free kick, which Jacob Partridge did well to head away - but Ely responded immediately with a golden opportunity as Sam Townshend was denied by Soham keeper Josh Pope, who then produced an outstanding follow-up save from Louis Jenkins. Both sides showed early attacking intent, with Ben Newton also called into action to punch away a dangerous Soham effort.

As the half progressed, Ely began to assert themselves, pressing high and linking play well, while Soham looked dangerous on the counter through the smartness of Max Rose and Lewis Jackaman. However, it was the visitors who struck first on 24 minutes, the ball breaking down the left before the pull back across the face was calmly finished from close range by Luis Cowie for the Greens to take the lead.

Ely responded positively. Alex Kerr surged forward soon after, his dangerous cross flashed across the 6 yard box with no one there, while Townshend and Jenkins combined well to create another chance, only for Pope to deny them again. The Soham goalkeeper proved pivotal, producing a string of crucial interventions late in the half - most notably a superb save to deny Jack Friend, followed by two dramatic goal-line clearances in quick succession. Despite Ely’s pressure, they went into the break trailing 1-0.

HT: Ely City 0-1 Soham Town Rangers

The Robins came out with renewed purpose in the second half and after some early pressure, were rewarded just three minutes in. A well-worked move saw the ball fall to Sam Townshend on the edge of the area, who turned sharply and rifled home into the far corner to level the scores at 1-1 sparking belief among the home support.

However, the momentum was short-lived. Soham regained the lead on 55 minutes following a set-piece, as a defensive clearance bounced up and was knocked down, it fell kindly for the visitors Jackaman to poke home. From there, the game opened up, with Ely pushing forward in search of another equaliser.

Substitutions injected fresh energy, with James Moore immediately making an impact and forcing another smart save from Pope. Friend came close, while appeals for a Robins penalty were waved away as Ely continued to press. Yet Soham remained a constant threat on the break, with Newton forced into several key saves to keep the deficit at one.

As the clock ticked down, Ely threw everything forward. Another opportunity fell to Friend late on, but again Pope stood firm. It summed up the afternoon - the Soham goalkeeper proving decisive at key moments.
Deep into stoppage time, with Ely fully committed, Soham sealed the result with a third goal on the counter from Reece Flatts, a 3-1 victory and their place in the final.

FT: Ely City 1-3 Soham Town Rangers

While defeat ends Ely’s promotion hopes for another season, it should not overshadow what has been a remarkable campaign. Back-to-back play-off finishes, a third-place league standing, and a series of battling performances highlight the significant progress made by the squad.

It may not have been their moment this time, but the Robins have once again proven themselves as one of the standout sides in the league and their trajectory suggests they will be firmly in the mix again next season.

Team; Newton, Kerr, Hamer, Collins, Partridge, Ruddy, Jenkins, Rigby, Friend, Townshend, Tarpey.
Subs; Biggs, Moore, Sutcliffe, Brown, Brannan.

POTM: Sam Townshend.