Ashton Prime 2-3 West Farleigh Reserves

After 3 consecutive league defeats, Prime were glad to focus on their Cup Quarter-Final - but they had to do so with a bare 11 players.

Garside's continued absence to go with Barnham's unavailability and Postlethwaite's late withdrawal meant Prime had to send for Sturmey to run the line at the last minute - and thanks must go to him for doing that on a horrible wet March afternoon.

Bishop and Goldsmith both returned to the Prime line-up and The Numbers tried a new 4-3-3 formation with Joe Walker the central striker.

Prime started down the slope and with Goldsmith and Abu snapping into challenges early on, Prime were on the front foot.

Joe Walker's pace was troubling the Farleigh back-line and their centre-back twice had to make last-ditch tackles to deny him when he burst through.

Prime took a deserved lead on 20 minutes when Walters' inswinging corner found an unmarked Goldsmith who thumped home a header, leaving the keeper helpless.

But the visitors started to come into the game and their powerful striker was proving a handful for Mazurkiewicz and Matt Walker.

The first time he escaped their shackles, Kerton came out to make a fine save and Prime smuggled the ball to safety.

But 5 minutes later, a West Farleigh break down their left released their striker who outstripped Mazurkiewicz and fired home emphatically into the roof of the net.

The goal seemed to lift the Maidstone league outfit and they were ahead before the break. An inswinging corner cleared Goldsmith's leap and the Farleigh midfielder planted his header down into the ground and as it bounced back up, Davis and Kerton agonisingly failed to reach the ball and it trickled into the net.

Prime battled to get back into the game and with Sander in impressive form at right-back and Bishop dangerous going forward, they knew they were still in the contest - despite being behind at the break and being faced with the prospect of playing uphill second half.

The half started well for Prime who began to get the ball down and play. Clear-cut chances were hard to come by though - but Joe Walker continued to be a threat and Excell - playing in the hole - was coming more and more into the game.

Prime's equaliser was down to the energetic Walters who burst down the left and put in a dangerous cross to the near post. There seemed little danger with Walker out-numbered by 4 Farleigh defenders in the box - but their centre-back contrived to slice his attempted clearance over the advancing keeper - giving Prime a lifeline.

The rain was pouring down and Farleigh made some substitutions to liven up their attacking play - a luxury that Prime were lacking.

In the sticky conditions, energy was being sapped and Prime's defence - excellently marshalled by Matt Walker was coming under increasing pressure.

It seemed as if the game was heading towards extra-time but in the 90th minute, a ball was fed into their striker inside the box and Mazurkiewicz for once mis-timed his challenge and a penalty was given.

The pressure fell on the Farleigh midfielder, but he strode up and sent Kerton the wrong way, and sent the visitors through to the Semi-Finals.

Man of the Match: Sander - Excellent performance both defensively and going forward