Ashton Prime 0-4 AFC Valour

After 2 consecutive cancellations, Prime returned to action against league leader AFC Valour at Bayham.

With Kneebone ruled out with a broken rib, Goldsmith with a damaged calf muscle and Ellis with a hangover, Prime were forced into a reshuffle.

Goldsmith decided to try a new formation of 3-5-2 with the returning Flamank filling the left wing-back role.

Prime started the game brightly and a long through-ball from Mazurkiewicz found its way through to Smith-Foreman who could only scuff wide when it seemed easier to score.

Valour responded strongly and were soon dominating the play. Eventually they took the lead when a long throw was flicked on and their striker was left with a simple tap in.

5 minutes later, Skovborg-Hansen was unlucky to give away a blatant penalty as he tracked back to help the defence but caught the tricky Valour winger as he cut inside. Leigh could not keep out the powerful spot-kick.

Prime were starting to look ragged and Valour were having joy down both flanks with 2 on 1 situations manifesting themselves regularly, and soon a third goal arrived as Garside was left with 2 players to mark at the back post.

Prime nearly pulled one back just before half-time as Matthews hit a searing left footed volley towards the bottom corner, but somehow the keeper tipped it wide for a corner.

At the break, the unsuccessful 3-5-2 trial was abandoned, with Carl Barker replacing Garside and the team reverting to its more familiar 4-4-2.

The Numbers started to look more dangerous and put severe pressure on the visitors. The best chance fell to Skovborg-Hansen, whose close-range drive produced an amazing save from the debut-making keeper.

A 4th goal killed off the game and was harsh on Prime and particularly harsh on the impressive Centre-Backs Jamie Barker and Gilbert.

Tom Matthews replaced the tiring Skovborg-Hansen, making a welcome return to the side, and Sturmey made his first appearance of the season as a central-midfielder late on.

With his first touch, Sturmey lofted the ball over the centre-back and Carl Barker was unlucky not to beat the on-rushing keeper to the ball.

The action wasn't over as Gilbert went on a marauding run late on. A strong challenge on the Centre-Back led to a theatrical dive out of the Jurgen Klinsmann repertior, which was spotted by the ref.

When the ball went out of play, the ref had a word with him and his four-letter response led to him becoming the first ever Prime player to be sent-off.

Man of the Match: BarkerJ - He and Gilbert held Prime together.