Gravesend & N 1 Eastbourne Borough 0

MANAGER Andy Ford admitted his side were running on empty as Gravesend & Northfleet struggled to overcome Eastbourne Borough and reach the third qualifying round of the AXA sponsored FA Cup.

The Fleet have played twice a week , every week, since the start of the season and Ford conceded the punishing schedule was taking its toll in fatigue.

"We had players out there who had empty fuel tanks and fatigue had set in long before the final whistle," said Ford. "It underlined the fact that we need a bigger squad and I'm hoping something can be done this week."

He dismissed the suggestion that his table-topping Ryman League, Premier Division side had made hard work of overcoming opponents from the Dr Martens League, Eastern Division.

"All week I heard people talking about when we reach the next round and when we beat Eastbourne Borough. It was never a foregone conclusion," he stressed. "They played with one up and defended in depth to make it hard for us."

Craig Wilkins' fourth goal in three games sent the Fleet into the next round. He rose superbly in the 29th minute to head home skipper Jimmy Jackson's cross.

Jackson should have increased the lead in the 76th minute when he beat Eastbourne goalkeeper Sean Lightwood only to see his shot hit the crossbar while Che Stadhart, Francis Duku and Aaron Barnett all spurned chances, which if taken, would have steadied the Fleet's jangling nerves.

There was no fairytale comeback for 49-year-old former Gillingham goalkeeping legend Ron Hillyard who was named among the Gravesend substitutes but was not called into action.

The prospect of a Hillyard comeback brought his former Gillingham understudy Mark Beeny to the game for one last look at the old maestro. Beeney now works for Chelsea coaching their Under-21 side.

Gravesend: Turner; Lee, Duku, Barnett, Martin; Smith, Lye (Skinner 78 mins), Owen, Jackson (Rose 84 mins); Stadhart (Hatch 73 mins), Wilkins. Substitutes not used: Hillyard, Booth.

Attendance: 510.