AW London 3-2 Ashton Prime

Saturday 28th August 2010, Warbank Sports Ground, Keston

Prime headed over to Biggin Hill to face unfamiliar opposition in Sevenoaks League side AW London.

With it being the Bank Holiday weekend, Prime were without several first team regulars and were therefore grateful that Skovborg-Hansen returned and Williams was able to make his debut. Nonetheless, with Lower's late withdrawal, Prime had a bare 11.

The home side took the lead after just 5 minutes when their tricky striker cut inside and found space to curl a shot beyond the helpless Kerton.

Prime fell further behind on 15 minutes when Barnham was disposessed in the left-back position and the AW London right-winger capitalised by squaring to his unmarked colleague, who again beat Kerton from close range.

The Numbers were slightly shell-shocked and there was a feeling that the scoreline could get really ugly. But they steadied the ship and with the midfield 4 starting to win possession and play the ball around, Prime started to push the home side back.

It was becoming clear that the home side's strength was their front 2, but they seemed suspect at the back and Excell and Barker were causing them more and more problems, whilst in the defensive third, Walker and Flamank were now shackling the front 2 well and Williams was having an impressive debut at right-back.

Prime were pressing hard for a goal and after Barnham released Goldsmith down the left, the skipper beat his man and pulled the ball back for Excell to flash a drive just wide.

Henshall and Skovborg-Hansen were causing their respective full-backs plenty of problems and they provided Excell and Barker with further chances to pull a goal back - but they could not find a way past the impressive home keeper.

At half-time it was a familiar story, with Prime having dominated for long periods, but finding themselves behind.

London had clearly been given a stern talking to at the break as they came out firing in the second half and their dangerous striker slipped past the challenge of Walker only to be denied by an excellent save by Kerton.

Prime rode the storm well and started to assert themselves on the game again, but their luck seemed to be out when Henshall cut inside to smash a rising 25-yarder off the underside of the bar, with the keeper beaten all ends up. The ball may well have bounced down over the line, before bouncing clear - shades of Lampard's effort in the World Cup.

But The Numbers finally got the break they needed on the hour mark when the keeper inexplicably picked up a back pass and Prime were awarded an indirect free-kick just inside the box. Abu rolled the ball to Henshall who threaded the needle through several onrushing defenders to find the back of the net.

The visitor's tails were now up, but they were subdued moments later when Barnham went down with a badly twisted ankle. Despite obvious discomfort, with no subs he had to battle on - and minutes later he played a vital part in Prime's equaliser.

Goldsmith was closed down in the centre-circle and had to lay the ball back to the stricken Barnham. But he dinked the perfect ball over the advancing back-line to release the onrushing Barker. He took his time before squaring to Skovborg-Hansen to calmly roll home an equaliser.

The home side made a couple of changes and their fresh legs gave them new impetus and the game was now much more in the balance.

Prime's main threat was now from long throws - and from Skovborg-Hansen's right-wing delivery, Goldsmith looped a header narrowly over.

As time ticked away, it looked as if the spoils would be shared, but in the last minute the otherwise impressive Flamank was caught in possession and the through-ball that resulted eluded Barnham who was now really struggling with his ankle, and their right-winger nipped in to fire beyond the luckless Kerton.

A disappointing result, but a very encouraging performance from a threadbare Prime lineup.