Gravesend & N 2 Farnborough 2

MANNY OMOYINMI’s late equaliser spared Gravesend & Northfleet the indignity of defeat against struggling Farnborough on Tuesday at Stonebridge Road.

Without a Conference win since October 2, the Fleet’s downward spiral seemed set to take a turn for the worse as Farnborough resolutely retained a 2-1 advantage with 14 minutes remaining.

Then Andy Drury swung over a free kick that saw Omoyinmi poach a point in a goalmouth scramble.

The equaliser climaxed a strong rally by the Fleet who had trailed by two goals inside the opening 17 minutes.

Though the sense of relief was enormous, manager Andy Ford was not fooled by the reprieve.

His side are suffering from serious shortcomings up front and with runaway leaders Barnet next up at Stonebridge Road on Saturday, his attack needs a sharp injection of goals.

He said: "We’re short of firepower, which was there for all to see tonight. I’ve attempted to sign some strikers in the last two to three weeks.

"I thought I had signed Greg Pearson from West Ham on the morning of the game. I agreed everything with his agent and then the player went off to Canvey. I tried for Justin Jackson shortly before he left Hornchurch, so we’ve been in there trying to get these strikers in.

"Hopefully, Roy Essandoh will be fit for Saturday and maybe I’ll get someone in time to face Barnet."

He admitted relief at getting a point after falling behind so early.

"Poor defending gave Farnborough both their goals and at half-time I was grateful we had pulled one back because that was a lifeline."

Paul Harkness scored the first of his two goals for Farnborough in the sixth minute and increased the lead in the 17th with the home defence caught square on both occasions.

Fleet centre-back Chris Moore headed home Drury’s free kick five minutes before half-time.

Farnborough flooded their midfield in the second-half to stifle the Fleet and the tactic looked to have succeeded until Omoyinmi’s intervention.

Lincoln referee Martin Harris cautioned eight players – six from Farnborough – and ordered off debut-making Richard Pacquette five minutes from the end for a challenge on Fleet goalkeeper James Pullen.

Gravesend: Pullen; Gledhill, McCarthy, Moore, Skinner; Sidibe, Saunders, McKimm (Protheroe 86), Drury; Omoyinmi, Pinnock. Subs Not Used: Wilkerson, Lovell, Pennock, L Moore.

Att: 810.