Gravesend & N 0 Telford Utd 2

FLEET were the victims of a smash and grab raid on Stonebridge Road as Telford United netted two goals from the three chances they ceeated.

United took full advantage of two uncharacteristic defensive slips from the Gravesend to score two second half goals.

But it had been Fleet who had made most of the running early on with Che Stadhart going close on 14 minutes and Jimmy Strouts just missing a Jimmy Jackson cross minutes later.

Even when Gravesend went down to nine men after defenders Paul Sturgess and Nick Burton were involved in a clash of heads, Telford failed to take the lead.

For five minutes the nine men of Fleet held their own against the 11 of Telford and the game was still goaless at the interval.

But after the break a heavily bandaged Sturgess headed a long ball straight to the feet of David Brown who fired the opener past Paul Wilkerson.

Sturgess was eventually replaced in the 60th minute along with Tostao Kawashi as Fleet manager Andy Ford threw on two forwards in chase of a vital equaliser.

But despite the best efforts of Paul Booth and Simon Parker it was Telford who decisively scored the next goal. Gary Fitzpatrick was left unattended in the box to convert a Gareth Hammer free kick and put the game beyond Fleet's reach.

Although Fleet dominated most of the match in terms of possession, they rarely made United keeper Paul Edwards make a save during the match.

And having one two gaols down they never looked like getting back into the match.

Ford said he was disappointed with his team's display: "Our second half performance wasn't good enough and we gave away two sloppy goals. We weren't firing on all cylinders. Covering in defence wasn't good enough on occasions."

Gravesend: Wilkerson, Lee, Burton, Watts, Sturgess (Parker 60mins), Kwashi (Booth 60mins), Strouts, McKimm, Jackson, Sodje, Stadhart. (Hatch) Subs not used: Turner, Wilkins.