Prime started their new era in chaotic circumstances at Southwood Road. Firstly with Sykes on holiday and Sander moving house, Goldsmith was asked with 5 days' notice to run the team one more time. Luckily at that stage he had a total of 6 definites in the squad, including no goalkeeper and 4 players that he had never met!

By Friday they were up to 13 and things were looking slightly more positive but Saturday morning's kitbag inspection left the stand-in boss short of any inflated footballs, a pump, a first aid kit, tape and water bottles! Not a great start!

To add to the circus that was developing, Valour boss Chris Russell called at 9:30am asking if we would mind letting Tonbridge Athletic join in our friendly as their opponents had dropped out at the last minute. An hour-long game between Prime and Valour followed by both sides playing Athletic for 30 mins each was agreed.

Upon arrival at the ground there was no sign of anyone from the council to open the changing rooms up but after calling everyone in his phone book that had anything to do with the council, eventually some chap turned up at 2:15 with the key and a long list of excuses for the balls-up!

Somehow the game kicked off pretty much on time at 2:30 with Prime donning their purple away kit and featuring 3 new players in their starting XI with a 4th (John Santos) on the bench alongside the evergreen Goulding.

In the circumstances, Prime started really well and they hit the bar after 10 minutes when Sebastian Ca smashed a shot goalwards from the edge of the box and was unlucky to see it ricochet to safety. Siekanka and Abu were doing well in midfield but Jarek was guilty of giving the ball away on 15 minutes and despite Joyner's best efforts in goal, Valour tapped the ball into the net at the second time of asking.

It was soon 2-0 when Barnham took a throw from just in front of his own corner flag and 8 Prime players sprinted up towards the half-way line - presumably mistaking DB for Rory Delap! The throw came up short and Valour exploited a 4 on 1 situation to roll in a 2nd goal.

The third came just before the break as they won a throw from exactly the same spot but they did have a Delap impersonator on their team and he threw to the back post where their striker nodded home unchallenged.

With Siekanka struggling with his knee injury, Henshall and Abu started the second half in central-midfield with Santos debuting on the right-wing. Goulding replaced Barnham at left-back.

The last thing Prime needed was for referee Miller to award Valour a ridiculous penalty 5 minutes into the half after Flamank rose to win a header cleanly against a striker who did not challenge for the ball. As he landed on the striker's back, the whistle came and Valour had the chance to make it 4-0 which they took.

Ex-Frant keeper Joyner was being kept very busy and with Williams and Cary stretched to the limit, he was forced to make a couple of fine one-on-one saves but he could not stop the 5th goal being rolled home with 10 minutes left.

To their credit, Prime pulled one back as Abu's free-kick picked out Williams who managed to rocket a header into the top-corner of the net from the edge of the box - a goal his performance deserved.

With Scott Lower about to pass out, Dave Barnham returned for a rare outing on the right-wing but there were no more chances as the final whistle on match 1 sounded.

Ashton Prime 0-2 Tonbridge Athletic

Saturday 16th August 2014, Southwood Road, Rusthall