Gravesend & N 2 Stevenage 3

GRAVESEND & Northfleet's five-match unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday as Dino Maamria’s penalty double helped Stevenage come back to snatch the points.

Maamria was lucky to even be on the pitch to do the damage after a flying boot into keeper Alex O’Reilly’s midriff left the Fleet man prostrate in the sixth minute, but Maamria escaped with a ticking off and a yellow card.

But the first penalty of the day came at the other end when Simon Travis was adjudged to have tripped Andrew Drury and the youngster stepped up to smash the ball past ex-Sunderland stopper Lionel Perez.

The game’s second penalty followed a series of Stevenage corners when Chris Moore tangled with Maamria and the referee pointed to the spot. Maamria stepped up to restore parity after 37 minutes.

On loan striker Roy Essandoh, famous for “that” goal for Wycombe against Leicester in the FA Cup in 2001, went close with a header as he connected with Steve McKimm’s cross in the 52nd minute, but Stevenage hit the front minutes later.

Maamria fell over Francis Duku’s trailing leg in the box and the referee again pointed to the spot and Maamria did the rest.

That was practically Duku’s last act as he was sent off four minutes later after bringing down Justin Richards when he was the last man in defence.

But Moore got Fleet their equaliser when he forced the ball home from Lee Protheroe’s free-kick.

But it was all in vein as Jamie Cook’s corner was met by Moore but headed on to Mark Rogers, who won the game for Borough six minutes from the end.

Fleet boss Andy Ford, pictured, said afterwards: “Going down to ten men made it difficult for us today, but the decision was probably right. I know I’m biased but I couldn’t see where the referee was coming from with their penalties.”

He added: “I thought the Maamria-O’Reilly incident should have resulted in a straight red. If a player does that in the middle of the field it would have been a straight red. Referees have a big influence on the game but it’s no good complaining.”

Gravesend: O’Reilly, Gledhill (Shearer 70 mins), Duku, Moore, Skinner, Owen, McKimm, Drury, Protheroe, Abbey (Evans 57 mins), Essandoh (Perkins 90 mins). Substitutes not used: Pinnock, Gradley.