Prime travelled to Paddock Wood without last week's star man Dave Barnham who was living it up in Florida on business - so Gilbert returned to the starting lineup in an unfamiliar right-back role. There had been injury concerns over midfielder Henshall and Coleman but both came through the warm up and started the match. Sander and Postlethwaite returned to join Goldsmith on the bench.

Prime kicked off playing into the surprisingly strong November sunshine but to be fair to the hosts it was very even for the first 10 minutes although neither side produced any chances.

Prime took the lead on 15 minutes from a corner when Gilbert rose highest to loop a rare goal over the keeper and in off the post.

It was 2-0 soon after when Henshall's raking through-ball picked out Coleman who outpaced his marker and then delicately dinked the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.

Any thoughts of the floodgates opening were premature though as the hosts enjoyed their best period of the game but with Ellis and Cary in dominant form the hosts' were limited to long-distance efforts which did not trouble the underworked keeper Kerton.

Prime were guilty of rushing passes when in space but they continued to look the more dangerous side with Flamank, Barker and Abu all going close.

Eventually the third goal did come when Abu's slide-rule pass found Barker running in the inside-left channel and he thumped home an untoppable left-footed strike off the underside of the bar.

It remained 3-0 at the break and Prime knew more goals were there for the taking if they kept composed with the final pass.

They failed to make any further inroads for 10 minutes and then 'keeper Kerton took matters into his own hands. His long clearance left Barker in a foot-race with the Paddock Wood centre-back which he won comfortably, before rolling home a composed finish.

It might have been more had Overy not shot wastefully wide from close-range for what would have been a much-deserved goal.

Sander came on for the stricken Henshall who was clearly troubled by his back all game - initially in central-midfield. Goal number 5 arrived soon after when Barker won a free-kick 25 yards out and Flamank surprisingly took the ball from Abu and proceeded to curl home a dipping effort into the top-corner.

Coleman was replaced by Goldsmith immediately with Sander switching over the right. It wasn't long before it was 6-0 after Overy's persistance meant the ball dropping for Barker to smash home a right-foot volley into the roof of the net to complete his hat-trick.

Prime were now rampant and Goldsmith, Sander and Flamank all missed chances to increase the lead. With 20 minutes left, Overy was replaced by Postlethwaite up-front and it seemed that once again Paddock Wood had steadied the ship.

They pressed for a consolation goal but with Davis and Gilbert keeping both wingers quiet and Ellis and Cary continuing to win every tackle, Kerton was left with virtually nothing to do.

Prime's 7th goal had more than an element of good fortune. Firstly Sander's wayward left-footed slice found it's way out to Abu on the left-hand side of the box, then the skipper's curling effort way mis-judged by the keeper and it somehow found the back of the net.

Barker rounded off the scoring soon after with his 4th of the game and 12th of an amazing season so far. Postlethwaite battled away well and he had a header on target near the end as Prime cruised to a 5th straight win.

Credit to the young home side who continued to try and play football and never let their heads drop. Prime move on to face runaway leaders Swan (Edenbridge) Reserves next week in confident mood.