Michael Mignot netted a hat-trick as West Essex reached the Errington Challenge Cup Final after victory over Clapton at The Old Spotted Dog, setting up a finale against Stansted on May 6th at Bishop's Stortford.
Mignot almost got on the end of a long ball over the Tons defence early on, before the hosts so nearly took the lead after that when Giovanni Palmer burst clear, but his effort was well saved by Jack Coker in the visitors goal.
But in the 11th minute the breakthrough came, and it saw the visitors lead, when Mignot got free inside the box and lofted a brilliant effort over Eman Olajide to give West the advantage.
Clapton tried to respond but saw Palmer's effort hooked wide after a coming together with Coker had seen the ball break loose, whilst down the other end Mignot's drilled ball into the near post went off a defender and just wide of the near post.
Just before the half hour though it was two for the visitors as a ball in by full back Emanuel Wazola hit Tons defender Lanre Vigo and went in for an own goal, and the Tons now had a mountain to climb.
It's a mountain they began to climb when pulling a goal back just six minutes later when after an Ali Al-Nashi free kick had thumped against the bar, the ball fell to Andy Greenslade on the edge of the box and he fired an effort into the corner to bring the hosts back into the contest.
But just two minutes after that West restored their two goal cushion as sloppy defending allowed Mignot to convert from close range for his second of the contest.
Clapton almost responded before the break when they saw an effort blocked by Coker before a defender managed to scramble clear, but it was the visitors who went into the break with that two goal cushion.
Half Time Clapton 1 West Essex 3
The Tons needed the next goal you felt and almost found it early in the second period when Palmer saw an effort brilliantly saved by Coker.
But it looked like game over just before the hour mark when West added a fourth as after a backheel had found Mignot, the defence parted like the red sea and Mignot strolled into the space and slotted beyond Olajide for his treble.
West almost then grabbed a fifth when Samraj Gill burst through but his effort was well saved by Olajide, before Clapton made the final nine minutes or so interesting when Ryan Reed produced a belter of a strike from long range, beating the dive of Coker and giving the hosts hope.
The hosts did put some late pressure on their opponents but West stood firm to record victory and set up a final against Stansted (who thrashed Saffron Walden Town 5-0 in the other semi final) at Bishops Stortford on May 6th.
Full Time Clapton 2 West Essex 4
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