After last week's loss in the mudbath at Brenchley, Prime needed to get back to form for the visit of league leaders Tonbridge Invicta III.

But Prime had a defensive crisis with Goldsmith (groin) joining Matt Walker, Mazurkiewicz and Gilbert on the sidelines. With no other fit centre-backs Stuart Hodges was re-signed and he started in an unfamiliar centre-back position with Parsons.

Abu and Davis also returned to the starting lineup at the expense of Barnham and Sander who were on the bench alongside Postlethwaite. Abu also took the captain's armband.

Invicta started the game in confident move with their midfield 4 dominating and their strikers looking dangerous, but clear-cut chances were hard to find as Prime's makeshift defence held up well.

Prime themselves though were struggling to create much against a solid looking Invicta backline who kept the dangerous Joe Walker in check.

Invicta took the lead on the 20 minute mark. A free-kick was curled into the box and although Kerton palmed the first effort away, the Invicta midfielder reacted quickest to stab home off the underside of the crossbar.

Prime started to come into the game with Henshall looking dangerous down the right, but successful passing moves were hard to come by for the home side.

Invicta doubled their lead on 35 minutes. Ellis' cynical hack on their right-winger resulted in a free-kick from a right-wing position.

Their midfielder curled in an inviting ball to the back post and their defender got up well to head home off the inside of the post. The fact that he was a yard offside went unnoticed by referee Delves, despite Goldsmith's offside flag. Naturally Prime were incensed by his decision to over-rule the linesman and you have to ask what the point in having a linesman is when a referee positioned outside the box over-rules a linesman actually in line with the play!

Prime frantically tried to get one back before the break but the best they could muster was Walters' drive from the edge of the box that flew over the bar.

At half-time Goldsmith emphasised his disappointment with the first-half showing. Prime had shown far too much respect to their opponents and if the home side were to get anything out of the match then they must come out a different side in the second 45 minutes. They did...

With Polinski seemingly charged up after a late tackle on him in the closing stages of the first half going unpunished and captain Abu now suddenly winning all of the 50/50s, Prime poured forward down the Cadogan slope.

Prime won a corner 10 minutes into the half and Walters curled in a dangerous inswinging corner which dropped for Ellis to hook home with his right-foot from close range. Game on!

All 11 players were visibly lifted by the goal and Henshall and Walters were now getting space out wide and the movement of the front 2 was causing Invicta's back 4 problems.

Just after the hour mark, Joe Walker latched onto a ball down the right and from his pin-point cross, Excell slid in at the far post to poke home a crucial equaliser.

Prime's resurgence continued and Henshall, who was now tearing the left-back to pieces, fizzed a ball right across the face of the Invicta goal, but neither striker was able to slot home.

Prime were also dangerous from free-kicks. Firstly Excell's curling effort was goal-bound but it was deflected wide amid shouts for handball. Minutes later, Abu curled in a wonderful free-kick from the left that was heading for the postage stamp in the corner of the net, but Invicta's keeper produced an excellent save under intense pressure.

Prime kept pushing but Invicta started to come back into the game as Prime tired. But with Hodges putting in a solid performance alongside the ever-impressive Parsons, The Numbers restricted Invicta to shots from distance.

The herculean throws from their defender were another potential problem, but Kerton was in commanding form and he caught and punched well all day.

Invicta's wingers were not getting much change out of Ellis and Davis, but with both full-backs tiring and Hodges struggling with cramp, Prime were forced to defend for the closing stages.

Sander came on for the last few minutes, replacing the goalscoring hero Excell and he closed down well up front and helped Prime run the clock down for a very well earned point that did not look likely at the interval.

A special mention goes to Barnham and Postlethwaite - the unused subs today. Both will be required in the closing stages of the season and their attitude and support for the team today was exemplary.