After a rainy week, it was somewhat of a surprise to find the Cadogan pitch in a playable condition as Prime sought their 7th win in a row.

They knew that this would be a stern test though - with just goal difference separating the two sides.

Prime were missing Gilbert, Ellis and Sander - but with Parsons, Davis and Henshall all returning to the starting XI and Matt Walker joining the evergreen Goulding on the bench, it was a strong-looking squad.

The game was delayed by 25 minutes after the groundsman failed to show up and unlock the changing rooms - leaving Goldsmith with a frantic dash across town to borrow some nets from Prime's old home at Bayham.

Thanks goes to referee Delves and all players on both sides for making sure the game still went ahead.

Prime started with the confidence and verve that comes with a winning run and Excell and Joe Walker were causing the Brenchley defence plenty of early problems.

Henshall and Chapman both looked dangerous down the wings and Abu and Walters' energetic performances meant that Prime were well on the front foot.

The Numbers took the lead through a most unlikely source with 25 minutes played. Brenchley cleared up to the half-way line but Davis beat his man to the ball and returned the ball with interest from the half-way line. His left-footed volleyed clearance never got above head height and after it skipped off the surface, it gathered pace and flew into the net with the visiting keeper nowhere to be seen.

Prime realised that this was a potential weakness to exploit and they went 2 up soon after when Abu was given time and space to curl a 25-yarder into the top corner - this time the keeper could not really be faulted.

Prime had furhter chances to go further ahead as Henshall blasted wide when well placed and Excell's back post header from Walters' corner thudded back off the bar.

But it was 3-0 on 35 minutes when the ball broke to Walters again a good 25-30 yards out. His round-house volley was well struck, but the keeper was again badly at fault as he tried and failed to keep the ball out with his feet.

Despite the luck of 2 of the goals, Prime were good value for their lead and what was really impressive was the polished performance by the entire back 4. Parsons and skipper Goldsmith looked imperious in the air as Brenchley mystifyingly continued to delived long high balls to their relatively short strikers - playing right into Prime's hands. Mazurkiewicz is clearly enjoying reverting to right-back and the Brenchley left-winger barely had a touch. Davis put in a faultless performance and deserved his goal - no matter how fortuatous it was.

At the break it was a simple message of more of the same for the second half. Brenchley made a switch and brought on a substitute keeper with their hapless first-choice stopper complaining that he could not see in the dim November afternoon light.

The replacement keeper was kept busy, with Walker being denied after dancing past 3 defenders on the by-line and Chapman smashing in a left-footed effort that he did well to hold onto.

Brenchley were clearly determined to get back into the game, and the game was much more even. Their best efforts came from long throws and they looked to have pulled one back after their midfielder got on the end of a knock-down - but Kerton - largely inactive during the first half - produced a superb save as he clung onto his clean sheet.

Club captain Matt Walker replaced Goldsmith for the closing 25 minutes and he continued to help Parsons dominate the aerial exhanges - leaving the Brenchley strikers starved of service.

Their best effort came from distance with 15 minutes to go as their midfielder took a pot-shot which glanced off the top of the bar before going over.

Goulding replaced the lively Chapman for the last 15 - extending his record as Prime's oldest player by another 3 weeks and Postlethwaite replaced the hard-working Joe Walker for the last 10 minutes - the striker having one of those days when even if he'd played all night he probably would not have scored!

Brenchley kept knocking at the door but Prime maintained their clean sheet and the promotion push in now definitely on.