THE bookmakers who have tipped Gravesend for relegation were left smiling as Ian Wright's last minute winner condemned the club to a home defeat on the opening day of the new Nationwide Conference season.

Wright took his chance well as he stole in unmarked at the far post to head home Christian Moore's corner and break a sequence in which Nigel Clough's Burton had never beaten the Fleet.

Manager Andy Ford, who is also the bookies' tip to become the first Conference manager to be sacked, admitted afterwards: “Technically they were slightly better than us.

“Their first touch was better and our passing let us down. We've done 25 per cent more running than they have but we've finished up losing because every time we won the ball we gave it away.

“Up front we need Ben Abbey and Leroy Huggins to start working as a pair.”

The match started sweetly in the heat for the Fleet who took an 11th minute lead through Jimmy Strouts who scored from close range after Burton goalkeeper Matt Duke made a hash of collecting Justin Skinner's cross.

Burton, who arrived late owing to motorway congestion, gradually settled and equalised in the 63rd minute through former Chesterfield stalwart Jon Howard. Wright was out of luck with a shot that struck the bar before snatching a dramatic winner.