Exeter City 1 v 0 Fleet

Nationwide Conference

GRAVESEND boss Liam Daish said he was proud of his team's performance despite going down to a single goal at Exeter City.

A 79th-minute strike from Lee Phillips denied Fleet the point their performance probably deserved but it does widen the gap between them and a play-off place.

Daish said: "It is disappointing to lose but I can't ask anymore from the players than they gave me.

"Our goalkeeper made a couple of saves but we defended well and restricted them to long-range shots which is pleasing for a defender and pleasing for a manager."

He added: "We had some great chances and when you come away to a place like Exeter you need to put those away.

"But I told the players at the end I was proud of them."

It was a hard-fought battle but Exeter were always the more likely to open the scoring and Fleet only had Andy Drury's 20-yard strike straight at the keeper to show for their first half efforts.

Craig Holloway in the Fleet goal was kept busy throughout, saving well from Phillips, Dean Moxey, Dan Woodards and Jon Challinor.

In the second half Charlie MacDonald had his team's best chance when he was one-on-one with the keeper only to see his shot blocked but it was only justice when Phillips hit the deciding strike.

Fleet take a break from league action this weekend when they travel to Boreham Wood, currently second in the Southern Division One East, in the second round proper of the FA Trophy.