Woodlands Reserves 4-0 Ashton Prime

Prime went into their first game of the new decade with a team almost unrecognisable from their previous outing in December.

With many players still on their Christmas holidays, Prime made sweeping changes including bringing Goulding out of retirement to link up with Abu in the heart of midfield.

Lower and Gilbert both returned from long term injuries with Lower joining Goldsmith up front and Gilbert starting on the bench.

It was a freezing cold day, but the match survived a late pitch inspection and Prime's makeshift lineup had to do what they could against their in-form opponents.

Woodlands immediately started knocking the ball around well in their customary manner and it was not long before they took the lead from a set-piece after some slack marking by the visitors.

The home side thought that they had doubled their lead when the ball appeared to have crossed the line before Barker hooked clear, but the referee waved play on.

Abu was working hard for Prime and with Flamank coming into the game down the right-wing, Prime began to make some forays forward - although the home side were still largely dominant.

But on the 25 minute mark, Woodlands were gifted a second goal after Barker's innocuous looking back-pass bobbled over the luckless Kerton's right boot in true Paul Robinson style, and the Woodlands striker rolled the ball into the empty net.

Prime were guilty of defending too deeply, leaving Goldsmith and Lower with slim-pickings - as they had to make the best of long balls played up to them. Goldsmith was being marked by two 6ft Woodlands defenders at all times, but he won his share of header and free-kicks and this encouraged Prime to push forward and support.

Despite gaining some territoral advantage though, Prime were struggling to create chances and it was the home side who looked more dangerous on the break, and with Barnham and Davis both guilty at times of diving into tackles and getting skinned by the wingers, the 3rd goal soon came with 5 minutes to go before the break.

Prime needed to get one back quickly to stay in the game and after some neat control on the edge of the box, Goldsmith's volley on the turn from the edge of the box flew narrowly over the bar.

Goulding and Lower had both performed well considering their long absences, but both were replaced at the break, with Excell coming on up front and Gilbert making a welcome return alongside Abu.

The second half started with Woodlands still pressing and Prime were struggling to get the ball up to the front 2.

But Barnham and Davis were more calculated in the tackle and Barker's pace was helping to keep the Woodlands strikers at bay. Kerton also atoned for his first half mishap with 2 stunning saves - one in particular from a close-range header which he pushed up and over the bar, despite his body going the wrong way.

Walters was getting frustrated at his lack of possession, but when he did get the ball midway through the second half, his curling cross nearly released the lively Excell.

A 4th goal came though soon after to kill off any hopes of a Prime comeback.

Postlethwaite came on for the injured Flamank with 15 minutes left as Prime sought to find a consolation goal.

Goldsmith and Abu both had efforts from long range, but the closest they came was when Goldsmith's diagonal ball through to Excell drifted over the Woodlands centre-back, but Excell's half-volley was well saved.

Man of the Match: BarkerJ - Held things together at the back and kept going through the pain barrier