Morecambe 2 Gravesend & N 2

GRAVESEND & Northfleet nearly picked up a surprise win at Morecambe but had to settle for ending the home side's run of six successive wins at Christie Park.

Fleet keeper Paul Wilkerson made several excellent saves in the match, including one in injury time to deny the Shrimps a late winner.

Gravesend, who went into the Conference game as underdogs, managed to get through the first half unscathed, restricting their hosts to long range efforts. But their hard work looked as if it may have been for nothing when Dean Bentley slid in to turn a Kieran Walmsley free kick into the net on the hour mark.

The goal seemed to settle down the home side, who began to play with increasing confidence in front of 1,539-strong crowd.

Wilkerson had to be in good from to prevent Morecambe extending their lead, saving from a Wayne Curtis volley and a drive from Adriano Rigoglioso.

Inspired by their keeper, Gravesend manufactured an equaliser to silence the home support. Substitutes Ben Abbey and Andy Drury combined in the 71st minute, with Drury providing his team-mate with the chance to score from close range.

The tide had turned and Fleet took full advantage of their momentum by grabbing the lead in the 79th minute. Pat Gradley was on hand to fire a Rob Haworth cross past the Morecambe keeper.

Spurred into action, the home side threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. And teenager Walmsley provided it - shooting past Wilkerson from outside the box with just seven minutes left on the clock. They then had chances to win the game but Gravesend, and Wilkerson in particular, stood firm.

Fleet boss Andy Ford said: “We were only seven minutes away from winning so, although we are pleased with a point, we feel we could have had all three. We need to turn these draws into wins if we want to move up the table.”

Ford said he was pleased his double substitution in the 65th minute had paid off, with Drury setting up Abbey.

He said: "I just felt we needed to inject a bit of pace up front and thought those two could do something together.

The only down side for Fleet was a shoulder injury sustained by Lee Shearer. He was due to have an X-ray on the shoulder yesterday.

Gravesend & Northfleet: Wilkerson, Lee, Shearer (Strouts 84 mins), Duku, Perkins, McKimm, Walshe (Drury 65 mins), Gradley, Owen, Pinnock (Abbey 65 mins), Haworth. Subs not used: O'Reilly, McClements.