FA Cup – First Qualifying Round Langford 2 Ely City 4 NEW signing Nick Impey smashed in a hatrick to secure Ely s passage to the next round of the FA Cup in a thrilling encounter against South Midlands Premier League side, Langford, on Saturday. The Rob

FA Cup - First Qualifying Round

Langford 2 Ely City 4

NEW signing Nick Impey smashed in a hatrick to secure Ely's passage to the next round of the FA Cup in a thrilling encounter against South Midlands Premier League side, Langford, on Saturday.

The Robins dominated from the start, and took the lead after just 12 minutes. Langford gave the ball away cheaply in their own half and were punished as Ely broke down the left. Martin Westcott forced a save as he connected with the cross, and Impey reacted quickly to knock in the rebound.

Five minutes later Langford's goalkeeper, Jamie Kyle, got injured in a brave challenge with Impey, and Jamie Campbell came on as his replacement. Campbell had an immediate shock when Westcott smashed the crossbar after connecting with an Andy Chatters cross.

Campbell did find himself picking the ball out of the net, just eight minutes after his arrival, when another fine cross came in from Chatters, and Impey headed home for his second goal of the match.

The home side hustled and harried and adopted a very physical approach as they strived to get back into the tie. Langford pulled one back, 10 minutes before half-time, when Marc Barnes raced on to a perfect through ball from Gareth Grant and kept his head to finish off with style.

Despite Ely dominating most of the play, the tie was still in the balance at half-time, with the score at 2-1.

The second-half started at a ferocious pace with chances coming at both ends. John Coley looked like he had equalised for the visitors five minutes into the second period, when his shot beat Tim Cately, but the ball bounced off the inside of the post and was cleared off the line. Campbell then made a fine stop from a Chatters effort before Westcott uncharacteristically fired wide from six yards out.

Langford found an equaliser from a quick break, which ended in Lee Pateman finishing off from close range.

It took Ely just three minutes to regain the lead, with Chatters hitting a superb free-kick from fully 30 yards out, that left the helpless Campbell rooted to the spot.

Impey finished off his hatrick in the 68th minute, after Chatters made the most of a defensive mix-up, and put the Ely striker clean through on goal.

Langford made two changes, with Wes Byrne and Rhys Davies replacing Dave Drury and Ricardo Small, and they threw everything at the Robins' defence in a desperate attempt to stay in football's oldest competition, but they just didn't have enough.

* Ely have a tough match in the next round of the FA Cup against

Woodford United at home on September 2.

The Robins' next match is at home to the in-form Debenham LC, who beat Downham Town 6-0 on Saturday. The match is on Saturday and kicks off at 3pm.