Telford 2 Gravesend & N 1

GRAVESEND & Northfleet will feel hard done by to get nothing from this game as Telford registered their first home Conference win of the season.

Che Stadhart and Mark Bentley both went close for Fleet early on, but Telford got into their stride. The hosts went ahead in the 19th minute.

A Gravesend attack broke down and Dave Brown latched onto a Paul Edwards’ goal-kick to fire the ball home from 20 yards.

The home side were awarded a penalty two minutes into the second period when Paul Moore was brought down by Jimmy Strouts but Fleet keeper Paul Wilkerson, who had a fine game, tipped the ball round the post from David Cameron’s spot-kick.

Fleet were level after 68 minutes when substitute Tostao Kwashi’s shot deflected off Craig Wilkins and in. They could have taken the lead soon afterwards but Louie Evans’ shot flashed just past the post.

telford's winner came in the 76th minute when Dave Brown broke down the right and centred for Fitzpatrick to beat Adrian Pennock to the ball and fire home.

Jimmy Jackson went close to an equaliser with three minutes left, but his 25-yard shot went narrowly wide and Stadhart had a penalty claim turned down in the last minute after a challenge from Mark Foran.

Manager Andy Ford said afterwards: “We didn’t perform very well in the first-half and it really wasn’t the kind of start we were looking for.

“We definitely upped the pace in the second-half but they probably had one or two more shots on goal. I think a draw would have been a fair result."

Gravesend: Wilkerson, Burton, Pennock, Giles, Jackson, Bentley, White (Evans 55 mins), Owen (Parker 86 mins), Strouts (Kwashi 55 mins), Stadhart, Wilkins.