Gravesend & Northfleet 1 Forest Green 1

Last updated : 21 December 2002 By Footy Mad

While Gravesend had the edge in the first half, the honours for the second period went to Rovers.

Neil Grayson intelligently prompted the Rovers attacks, while Gravesend's best efforts were orchestrated by Mark Bentley, who was unlucky with a shot in the tenth minute that curled wide.

Matt Russell's shot was tipped over the bar in the 12th minute and Grayson wasted a great chance when he scooped an effort over the bar from a precise pass by Steve Jenkins.

Chris Giles, on loan from Yeovil, put the Fleet ahead in the 25th minute when he rose at the near post to head home a Justin Skinner corner.

Rovers equalised in the 69th minute when Grayson shook of the attentions of central defenders Giles and Craig Wilkins only to see his shot parried by keeper Paul Wilkerson, but Grayson reacted quickest to plant the ball in the net.

Rovers manager Colin Addison felt a draw was a fair result.

"It was a very dour game and both teams can play better than that," he said after the match.

"We were poor in the first half, but on the balance of play a draw was about right.

"We set a great standard against Morecambe, but no two games are alike thats for sure." Fleet's boss Andy Ford saw things differently. "We played well in the first half but our second half performance wasn't good enough," he admitted.