Ashton Prime 6-3 Brenchley Wanderers Reserves

After 2 weeks of inactivity, Prime returned to action for their first home match of 2010. The Numbers were boosted by the return of several first XI regulars- although with Abu caught in traffic, he had to start from the bench, giving Hodges a start in central midfield.

Brenchley were playing their normal direct style and they took the lead after 15 minutes when a corner to the near post was flicked on by a Brenchley player onto the crossbar, and as Prime defenders stood and watched, their striker rose above Barnham to nod the rebound into the empty net.

To their credit, Prime upped their game and were soon level. Skovborg-Hansen's corner was only half-cleared to Walters on the edge of the box. The winger smashed a left-footed volley back towards goal and Excell - skipper in the absence of Goldsmith - cleverly diverted the ball beyond the keeper with a neat flick of the head.

Soon Prime were in the ascendancy after another half-cleared corner was nodded back with interest by Hodges who amazingly looped a header over the keeper from fully 18 yards.

The visitors began to push forward but they were being repelled by the solid Prime back 4 and The Numbers looked dangerous on the break with the pace of Kneebone and Skovborg-Hansen looking particularly menacing.

Indeed it was Skovborg-Hansen who increased Prime's lead when he latched onto Walters' through ball. He looked second favourite but made up at least 5 yards in a 20 yard sprint - showing searing pace which stunned the Brenchley defender. He then kept his head to round the keeper and slot into the corner of the net from an acute angle.

Brenchley continued to battle and forced a series of corners and throw-ins. Eventually they pulled one back when the luckless Ellis flicked the ball over the helpless Kerton - who himself had made a couple of important saves in a frantic first half.

There was still time for a 6th goal of the half, as yet another long throw was flicked on over the keeper to bring the visitors level.

At the break Goldsmith stressed the importance of the next goal. Prime had the slope in the advantage in the second half and they knew that if they stayed solid at the back, chances would come. The gaffer also instructed the Brenchley striker to be double-marked from all throw-ins to limit the havoc that they had caused with their long throws in the first half.

Garside and Mazurkiewicz continued to keep the Brenchley forwards quiet and Barnham and Ellis were also keeping their respective wingers quiet.

The late-arriving Abu entered the fray with 30 minutes left with the excellent Hodges making way.

Prime were starting to make the most of the slope and with Walters and Kneebone in excellent form, the home side had plenty of width.

Goldsmith was left with a tough decision with 25 minutes left. He wanted to get Carl Barker on to exploit the obvious lack of pace in the Brenchley defence, but this meant sacrificing Excell who himself had played well and is always capable of finding a goal or a killer pass.

The stand-in skipper was certainly not happy to be hauled off, but what followed justified the move.

Within minutes Prime thought they were ahead when Walker - revelling in his central midfield role - rose above the keeper to nod goalwards. Mazurkiewicz stabbed home to make absolutely certain although the visitors protested that the defender was offside.

The ref initially gave the goal - but then after a consultation with their linesman, he changed his mind and gave the offside - leaving Prime frustrated.

But Prime were not to be denied and when Barnham got forward down the right, his cross found Walters on the edge of the box.

The winger, who was having an excellent match, arrowed his left-footed drive across the keeper and into the corner of the net to put Prime back in front. "Rule that one out!" was the cry.

Brenchley threw men forward for the closing stages, but with Sander replacing Barnham at right-back and the remaining defenders performing solidly, Prime never looked in danger of letting the lead slip this time.

Space was opening up at the other end and from a sublime Abu through-ball, Barker beat the keeper to the ball to make it 5-3, before doubling his tally with a stoppage time finish as Wanderers ran out of steam.

Walters still had time to flash a 25-yarder just over the angle of post and bar and Skovborg-Hansen nearly hit number 7, but was denied by a fine save by the Brenchley keeper - whose defence had gone AWOL.

Man of the Match: Scott Walters - Never stopped running and a vital goal