Ashton Prime 1-0 Frant

Ewan Stumey's undefeated league managerial career continued on Saturday as Prime secured a valuable three points against a strong Frant team who destroyed Roselands 8-1 in their last outing.

Prime were without the mercurial Goldsmith in midfield as well missing the ever reliable Garside and Barker from defence and attack respectively. As a result, Sturmey shuffled the pack and Mazurkiewicz was allocated to partner Gilbert as the centre back pairing with Sander and Goulding deployed as full backs. The midfield was looking solid with Walters and Kneebone on the flanks and Matthews and Mellors in the centre, leaving Excell and Skovborg-Hansen to roam free up front.

To say the game was a stop-start affair would be like saying that Mike Tyson could handle himself in a fight. Both sets of players were getting increasingly frustrated with ref Delves with several players on both sides having to be restrained and calmed as Mr Delves was looking particularly twitchy with his cards.

With the pitch being hard, playing the ball on the ground was proving difficult with both teams employing the long ball tactics from the start. However when Prime did get the ball down, Mellors and Matthews were looking solid and Walters and the ever-impressive Kneebone were a constant threat with the ball at their feet.

Chances were few and far between for both sides with the Frant captain shooting just wide from long range on several occasions and Kneebone just shooting wide from tight angles for the Prime. However it was the home side that always looked the most likely to take the lead as the Frant centre backs, marshaled by Ryan Ennis were being put under increasing pressure from Prime crosses and corners.

It did take until the half hour mark for the deadlock to be broken though. A long ball played over the Frant back-line by Mellors caused confusion in the Frant defence and after a bizarre call for the last defender to leave it for the keeper, Skovborg-Hansen and Walters were in a foot race which was eventually won by Skovborg-Hansen who chipped the ball over the advancing keeper and into the back of the net for 1-0.

The rest of the half remained bitty and scrappy with Kerton hardly seeing any action as the midfield and defence kept all attacks at bay.

The second half continued in much the same vane with both teams seemingly happy to launch the ball forward as the heat was starting to take its toll. Frant did have the greater possession and it took several excellent saves from Kerton in the Prime goal to keep the home team in it.

With twenty minutes to go, Sturmey made his first substitution of the game, replacing the hard working Matthews for Walker. His fresh legs and creative ability made an immediate impact and Prime were looking dangerous around the Frant area, with Walker himself, Mellors, Kneebone and Excell all having shots and testing the keeper.

Skovborg-Hansen almost scored his second of the game in a carbon copy of the first goal as he nipped in between the centre back and the goalie but his shot agonisingly hit the post and went out for a goal kick.

A well deserved three points for the Prime as the defence halted all Frant attacks superbly.

Man of the Match: Mazurkiewicz - Superb performance.