Fleet 0 v 1 York City

Nationwide Conference

AFTER thumping Tamworth in midweek, Gravesend and Northfleet were in confident mood welcoming York City to Stonebridge Road.

However, a 33rd minute goal by the visiting Clayton Donaldson was enough to make the return journey north a pleasurable one for the fans and players.

Despite not having a shot on target throughout the match, after putting four past Tamworth, boss Liam Daish was not downhearted.

He said: "We knew it was going to be tough but I thought we matched them and did everything but score.

"Credit to York, they have a lot of experience at the back but we caused them problems although the last touch didn't fall for us.

"They've only had two chances and scored from one of them, while we had a number of chances but haven't scored."

Skipper Paul McCarthy said: "I felt the team started off well and continued to play well throughout the match.

"The team dug deep after York had scored to make they did not concede another.

"We did fight hard to pull one back and we had chances but could not score."

Fleet started the match full of confidence and when Mark De Bolla's pass found Charlie MacDonald in space the crowd may have been waiting for the net to bulge but instead he fired wide.

On 15 minutes Lance Cronin was called into action denying Donaldson after the striker beat the offside trap.

York had Neal Bishop and Emmanuel Panther to thank after the pair somehow blocked Luke Moore's close range shot.

Moments later the same striker had a shot cleared off the line before Donaldson struck when he collected a pass from Craig Farrell and beat Cronin from close range.

The second half turned into a war of attrition as Fleet hunted for the equaliser without success.

De Bolla came closest with a sweet volley which was blocked before Moore and Ekoku shot wide.

Luke Moore said: "The team did well today. We all worked as a unit and if we start the way we did today on Saturday we can get a result against Forest Green Rovers.

"It will be a tough match but we can do it. Unfortunately the goals did not want to go our way today."

MATCH FACTS: FLEET: Cronin, McCarthy, R Smith, L Smith, Ricketts (Ekoku, 74), Slatter, De Bolla, Quinn, Keeling, MacDonald, Moore.

SUBS NOT USED: Mott, Roberts, McKenna, Coleman.

ATT: 1,036.