Gravesend & N 1 Aldershot 3

MANAGER Andy Ford, referee Darren Deadman and his assessor Paul Alcock were involved in a furious after-match bust-up last night as Gravesend lost their five-match unbeaten record in a blaze of controversy.

Ford was summoned to the referees' room where there ensued what was afterwards described as a frank and forthright exchange.

Earlier, during the match, Ford had turned angrily on Mr Alcock, who was sitting at the back of the main stand, to protest at the referee's handling of the game.

The Hertfordshire official cautioned six players and ordered off Fleet's Steve Perkins in the 83rd minute for a second caution. As Mr Deadman left the field, Gravesend chairman Brian Kilcullen shouted: “Don't come back ref.”

Perkins' dismissal brought the number of Gravesend players ordered off this season to six in 13 games. In the summer, the FA imposed a suspended £10,000 fine on the club on the understanding they cleaned up their disciplinary record after last season's misdemeanours.

That could now be invoked at the end of this season with Fleet officials expecting to be called to account by the FA at Christmas.

Both Aldershot boss Terry Brown and Ford were outspoken in the condemnation of Mr Deadman's handling which was always to the letter of the law.

“I was called to the referees' room where the assessor had a right pop at me for pointing him out,” Ford confirmed afterwards. “I had a right up and downer with the assessor.

“But we're talking about referees again and not the game and that can't be right. He didn't have to send off Steve Perkins because there was nothing in what he did.

“Some of the bookings were unnecessary and spoilt the game. At this club we have the strictest code of conduct of any club in the Conference, so we're trying hard.”

Ford, however, had no quarrel with the outcome of the game as the Fleet defence were found wanting by Aldershot's pacy attack. But for the brilliance of goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson and a series of astonishing misses by Aldershot strikers Aaron McLean and Roscoe D'Sane, the margin of defeat would have been greater.

Poor marking allowed Tim Sills to score the first of his two goals in the 15th minute. He added a second in the 42nd minute before Rob Haworth gave Fleet hope by pulling back a goal in the 44th.

Though they made a bright start to the second half, when they threatened an equaliser, the Fleet were knocked out of their stride when slack marking enabled Ray Warburton to head a third in the 63rd minute.

Gravesend: Wilkerson; Perkins, Shearer, Moore, Skinner; McKimm, Gradley, Drury, Walshe; Pinnock, Haworth. Substitutions: Abbey for Skinner 67 minutes, Finn for Drury 77. Not used: Owen, Duku.

Attendance: 1,477.

* Gravesend travel to Morecambe on Saturday in the Conference.