With departing club legend and manager Goldsmith on wedding duties the final game of the season was left in the ‘capable’ hands of the Sykes and Sander management team.

With the game being played on the bank holiday weekend Prime were left with just a bare eleven, but still a very strong eleven.

The new management team faced their first test of the new era when the 12 o’clock kick off arrived with only 9 players at the ground and the captains taking the toss Prime looked to be lining up with an unusual 3-4-1 Christmas tree formation only for Greg to arrive and get changed on the side of the pitch in time for kick off to make it a 4-4-1. Turvey was still in his garden enjoying the sun and waiting for the plumber!

Prime started with 10 men and then the initial loss of Greg for 2 minutes while he ran off to find his car keys was not the best start!

The 10 men gritted their teeth and battled for the first 10 minutes trying to get some rhythm against the young Paddock Wood side. The best football throughout the first half came from Henshall and Mazurkiewicz playing some quality two touch football. Lee Dixon would have loved all the triangles they were making!

Down the left side the hard working Nowak was once again in the wars not once but twice being clattered by the young Paddock Wood goalkeeper. Whilst Nowak was down and receiving treatment the experience of centre halves Sykes and Cary created the chance for Ferguson to finish in his usual style and grace. A Goldsmith-esque long throw was flicked on to Fergie to tap it home. 1-0 to the 10 men!

Prime were on top and thought they had gone 2-0 up until the linesman raised his flag after a cross from Henshall was flicked in by Excell beyond the despairing keeper but no, he was offside. Then from a corner Cary showed his striking pedigree with a neat turn in the box only for the certain goal to be stopped by a handball - how the referee didn’t give a penalty was puzzling.

The hard working, one legged Excell and auxiliary centre half Abu were breaking up Paddock Wood attacks towards goal giving Kerton, on his final appearance, very little to do before the half time whistle. That was until Paddock Wood kept the ball for a long spell and made the already tired Prime midfield chase the ball and play some passing football and created a little space that was tidily put into the bottom corner. Shouts of ‘a young Lew would have saved that’ were heard from the Prime supporter on the side.

The half time whistle came and Prime were happy to be going into the second half with a game still intact and knowing the Paddock Wood were there for the taking. In fairness the half time team talk was more about ‘Where was Steve Turvey?’ especially considering he has replied Yes to the early kick off!

With the second half underway the weary and one legged Excell after an earlier tackle went in for his second big tackle of the game and once again came off worse off. Down to 9 men! Only for Turvey to stroll past with his kit under his arm Prime were back to their full allocation of 10 men. Turvey slotted into the back 4 alongside Cary, Sander and Mazurkiewicz with Sykes taking up the centre midfield role alongside Abu.

Abu continued to use his quick feet to dazzle the Paddock Wood midfield even hearing ‘wow he’s got quick feet for a grumpy man’ from the Paddock Wood captain.

The sun was beating down and the temperature was getting warm and despite Excell sunning himself on the sideline Prime kept to their jobs and continued to keep Paddock Wood at bay, whilst creating their own chances.

Ferguson had the chance to put Prime 2-1 up with an exact replica of the first goal only this time he failed to get a decent contact with his head and Prime were still looking for their second goal.

A long ball from Kerton was then flicked on to the battling Fergie but, instead of squaring an easy ball to Sykes, he fell over and the chance was gone. Not to worry as Prime's experience was beginning to show and when Abu had a chance which he fluffed, they carried on and it was Henshall who picked up the ball played a lovely through ball for Nowak to run onto who played in Ferguson and he had no other option but to score! The swap between Jan and Sander had paid off with the Pole using his fresher legs to skin the defenders and lay the ball on a plate for Fergie.

10 minutes to play and Prime put 9 men behind the ball and defended for their lives. They looked to be seeing out a well-deserved win until a careless free kick was conceded, and Kerton rolled back the years by flicking the ball out of the top corner and over the bar. From the resulting corner the ball was allowed to bounce in the box and despite Nowak getting his ‘nose’ on the ball stopping the ball going over the line the referee gave a penalty which was despatched easily down the middle of the goal 2-2 with 5 minutes of injury time to play.

From the kick off the big striker Fergie rolled the ball for Sykes to have a pop at goal only for the Paddock Wood striker shout ‘Boo’ as he kicked it and a free kick given. Prime sent the big men up for one last chance and it paid off! A long free kick from Sykes was flicked on by Cary for his second assist for Ferguson to complete an unlikely hat trick and snatch an unlikely win!