Ashton Prime 2-1 Frant
Saturday 5th February 2011, Cadogan Recreation Ground
Prime returned to their home ground looking to get their campaign back on track after last week's loss at Rusthall.
It was an unchanged squad but Goldsmith did make 2 changes to the starting lineup with Barnham and Walters starting after impressing in the 2nd half last week. Sander and Davis made way.
Prime donned their blue away kit despite being the home side as Frant did not have an away kit available.
Frant took the early initiative and certainly enjoyed the territorial advantage for the first 15 minutes but Prime's defensive line was much better organised and Frant's lone striker Adam Parker was caught offside on several occasions.
Unfortunately for Prime, their midfield was being outnumbered and Abu and Matt Walker were never given any time on the ball and wingers Walters and Henshall were also starved of service.
The quality of the game was poor - with no fewer than 5 balls lost over the perimeter of the Cadogan ground during the first half alone!
Chances were at a premium for both sides although when a through ball eluded Parsons, the Frant midfielder should have done better than he did as he rolled his shot wide of Overy's post.
Prime's best moments came from set-pieces with Barnham's impressive long throws causing problems for Frant.
Just before the break Prime thought they had the breakthrough when Excell stabbed the ball goalwards and beat the keeper, but somehow Frant's defender hooked the ball off the line.
At half-time Goldsmith expressed his approval for the improved defensive performance but in a bid to get the midfield and the wingers especially more involved, he replaced Barnham with Davis at right-back and asked his team to keep the ball on the deck and play some more football.
The second half saw a marginal improvement in quality, but Frant were still in the ascendancy with their solid formation leaving Excell and Joe Walker frustrated at their lack of service.
Matt Walker tested the keeper from distance but still both defences dominated with Gilbert and Parsons looking increasingly confident as the game went on.
With an hour gone, Goldsmith elected to make a double change with Ellis and Excell replaced by Sander and Goulding. The lively Henshall was moved up front as part of the change.
Both subs made immediate impacts in more ways than one! Sander's first involvement was to win a header that resulted in a clash of heads and Goulding thundered into a tackle on Frant's right-winger that left the away fans screaming for a foul. Sadly for them Goulding won the ball and referee Delves rightly played on.
Sander also nearly forced the ball over the line from an inswinging Walters corner but Frant's defender hooked the ball clear.
With 10 minutes left it seemed destined to be goalless but then Frant scored out of nothing. Overy's goal kick was returned with interest by their midfielder. As the ball sat up, he arced an unstoppable 40-yarder into the roof of the net - despite Overy getting a fingertip to it.
Goldsmith immediately sent Parsons up front and went with 3 at the back - now with nothing to lose. It worked like a charm as Parsons' flick on from a long throw was nodded home by Joe Walker at the near post and parity was restored almost immediately.
Prime were now resurgent and in a cup-tie atmosphere both teams went for the winner but it was Prime that struck the crucial blow with normal time expiring.
Abu picked up the ball on the half-way line and chipped the ball over the top of the centre-backs which Henshall latched on to. He lofted the ball over the advancing keeper and the ball trickled into the corner.
It was now Frant's turn to throw the kitchen sink forward and some nervy Prime defending handed them a corner deep into stoppage time.
The ball was curled in from the left and it seemed to be curling over Overy and into the corner of the net, but the experienced head of Goulding got up highest right on the line to nod the ball to safety.
Prime cleared their lines and the final whistle sounded to spark jubilant scenes from the home side - a true smash and grab victory!