Scarborough 1 Gravesend & Northfleet 0

FLEET boss Andy Ford was left frustrated after his side missed a hatful of chances and eventually lost to a second-half strike on Saturday.

Manny Omoyinmi and Zeljko Popovic both missed great chances early in the game and they were undone by a strike late in the second half by former Leeds United striker Tony Hackworth.

Ford was less than happy with his side’s performance. He said: "When you get things like we had in the first half you have to score and it was very frustrating to miss those chances.

"I was very disappointed with our second half performance because we never got going until they scored the goal. We played right into their hands and the ball kept coming back at our defenders."

Omoyinmi dropped his clanger in the opening exchanges when Justin Skinner’s free kick was nodded down by Jay Saunders and the former West Ham man blasted over from inside the six-yard box.

Then five minutes later it was Popovic’s turn to squander a great chance when the same combination of Skinner and Saunders set up the defender but his shot trickled wide from seven yards.

Chris Senior fired over the bar for the Seadogs after great work from Keith Gilroy.

The home side took control of the game after the break and Andy Ford’s side were forced to defend for long periods.

Robert Gill wasted a good chance and then Neil Redfearn and Kevin Nicholson both had shots charged down but Gilroy was the main architect of all the Seadogs’ good work.

Redfearn produced a stunning save from Paul Wilkerson in the Fleet goal before Scarborough found the breakthrough in the 72nd minute.

Scott Kerr burst forward and played a great pass into Hackworth and he slotted the ball home for his third of the season before Paul McCarthy could close him down.

Fleet, stung by the goal, bombarded the Scarborough box late on but failed to test Leigh Walker as time ran out.

Gravesend: Wilkerson, Protheroe (Gledhill 62), McCarthy, Popovic (Lovell 82), Skinner, Saunders, McKimm, Surey (Moore 82), Drury, Omoyinmi, Pinnock. Subs Not Used: Pullen, Pennock.

Att: 1,634.