Forest Green Rovers 0 v 1 Gravesend and Northfleet
Nationwide Conference
FLEET secured their first league win on the road since February thanks to Luke Moore's first goal of the new campaign.
Liam Daish's men, unchanged for the third consecutive match, piled the pressure on Rovers manager Gary Owers as fans booed their team's fourth consecutive defeat.
About 18-year-old Luke Moore Daish said: "He was brilliant today. Now he has got his first goal he will grow in confidence and it can only do him the world of good.
"He is really developing fast as a player. He's a year older and knows you need more than just pace.
"He has worked very hard in the close season and we now seeing the benefit."
He added: "We knew Forest Green would come at us hard and we expected a tough match.
"I am disappointed in the way we played in the second half but I cannot be unhappy at getting three points."
Fleet began the game the brighter and mustered the first effort on target on 13 minutes when Charlie MacDonald's shot from 20 yards was comfortably saved by Steve Williams.
Moore headed wide from Jon Keeling's corner five minutes later, then the impressive Keeling sent a curling shot over the crossbar from the right corner of the penalty area.
A long throw by Alex Lawless produced Rovers' first goal-bound effort in the 24th minute, as Charlie Griffin flicked on at the near post and his strike partner Allan Russell could only head straight at Fleet keeper Lance Cronin from close range.
Keeling was giving the home defence a torrid time on the left flank and on 27 minutes he sent a flashing a low drive across the six-yard box which evaded everyone.
Rovers failed to heed the warning and a minute later the winger turned Christian Edwards inside out before laying on an easy goal for Moore from four yards out.
The best chance to equalise before the break came after Les Afful was brought down by Jamie Smith.
The resulting Alex Meechan free-kick ricocheted into the path of Griffin who could only scoop the ball over under pressure from five yards.
Rovers enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the second half but struggled to create openings, Lawless' 25-yard shot wide on 55 minutes proving typical.
Griffin's lofted effort from the right channel dipped the wrong side of the bar three minutes later but otherwise the visitors were relatively untroubled.
MATCH FACTS
FLEET: Cronin, Ricketts, J Smith, R Smith, McCarthy, Slatter (Coleman, 90), De Bolla, Quinn, Keeling, MacDonald, Moore (Ekoku, 63).
SUBS NOT USED: Mott, Roberts, Sodje.
ATT: 881.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article