Heybridge Swifts' dreams of promotion were ended in disappointing style as they lost their Ryman League Division One North semi-final 3-0 at home to Harlow.
In truth the home side were well beaten, with strikes from Alex Read and Leon Antoine – the second after a defensive howler – giving the visitors a deserved half-time lead.
And any hopes of a comeback were extinguished seven minutes into the second period when Antoine tapped in his second after Ashley Harrison had parried Junior Dadson's shot.
Swifts showed plenty of endeavour but unfortunately not enough quality going forward, and it took almost three-quarters of the game for them to really test Daniel Knowles in the away goal.
Harlow made the better start and Gavin Greenfield did well to clear a cross before the dangerous Alex Read to latch on to it, before Harrison had to keep out James Smith's shot – and although he didn't make the best job of it, he managed to do just that.
But Swifts did look dangerous on the break, and a good move almost saw Ben Newson claim the ball back from Dumebi Gb-Dumaka in the box, only for Josh Urquhart to get back and clear as he looked poised to shoot.
And the corner picked out Gb-Dumaka at the back post, but he could only head up and over the crossbar.
But the deadlock was broken on 24 minutes when Antoine's header put Read in behind the defence and he lobbed the ball over Harrison and in off the far post.
The visitors were good value for their lead and almost doubled it when a corner caused confusion but Dadson was unable to force the ball home.
They were 2-0 up on 33 minutes though, when Robbie King made a hash of Smith's cross in the box and Antoine took a touch and blasted a shot which Harrison couldn't keep out.
It had been a half light on chances, but the visitors were worthy of their lead – but the home side did have a sight of goal when Gb-Dumaka flashed a shot across the face of goal.
Knowles was able to push a Frank Everett effort away after a dangerous Swifts corner, but the half ended with the home side facing an uphill battle to reach Sunday's final.
And that hill became a mountain seven minutes into the second half when Read found Dadson out on the right and his shot was parried by Harrison straight to Antoine, who couldn't miss.
Even though Swifts brought on strikers Chris Bryan and Jamie Guy, Harlow were relentless and pushed for more, with Harrison charging off his line to deny Dadson.
Guy didn't connect properly with a volley, before Danny Barber did well to block a Read shot from the edge of the box at the other end.
Harrison saved a Darren Blewitt header, before Knowles made his first save of note when he got down well to his left to keep out Guy's effort.
Bryan hit a free-kick straight into the wall as the clock ticked over into the last ten minutes, before Toner shot at Knowles after a corner was cleared out to him.
Smith sent a free-kick over the top at the other end, but it mattered not to the visitors, who will now face Witham Town in Sunday's final at Spa Road.
