Gravesend 3 Morecambe 2

GRAVESEND & Northfleet showed true grit to come from behind twice and claim a last-gasp win over promotion-chasing Morecambe on Saturday.

Fleet started brightly, but found themselves a goal down after eight minutes. Defender Jay Lovett, on loan from Brentford, gave the ball away to Wayne Curtis who fired past goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson.

The deficit could have been doubled just minutes later, but this time Wilkerson produced a brave save at Curtis’ feet.

Mark Bentley scored Fleet’s first equaliser after half an hour when he curled home a shot from the edge of the box after Morecambe’s defence failed to clear a Justin Skinner corner.

But the parity lasted less than 60 seconds as Morecambe hit back in style. Adriano Rigoglioso sent a free-kick into the box and Stewart Hammond rose to head home.

Fleet would not lie down, though, and two minutes later they had drawn level for a second time when Steve McKimm - starting only his second game after a five-month lay off with tuberculosis - prodded the ball into the net.

The second-half saw a succession of chances for both teams, but a combination of poor finishing and good saves kept the score at 2-2. Yet as the game entered injury time substitute Tostao Kwashi fired home from a Skinner corner to give Fleet a valuable three points.

Manager Andy Ford said afterwards: “We rode our luck a bit, but it’s about time we got the breaks for a change. Every game’s a cup final for us at the moment and we have to keep showing the same spirit we displayed against a very good Morecambe side and we’ll be alright.”

Gravesend: Wilkerson, Lovett, Burton, Duku, Skinner, Bentley, Owen, McKimm (Kwashi, 67), Jackson, Stadhart (Hatch, 67), Evans.