Fleetıs below-par league form continued on Saturday, as they slipped to their fifth consecutive defeat, against a poor Sittingbourne team.
Reduced to 10 men for the final 15 minutes, after the dismissal of keeper, Steve May, the Fleet side struggled throughout to deal with a bone-dry, poorly prepared pitch. Still without a point, Mick Catlinıs side remain anchored to the bottom of the Dr Martens league.
Fleet started brightly enough, but some poor crosses and squandered free-kicks handed the initiative to a Sittingbourne side who appeared to be coping better with the hard, dry conditions.
The home side eventually took the lead in the 21st minute when mid-fielder, Kieran Marsh shot powerfully past an outstretched May in the Fleet goal.
After the break, Sittingbourne immediately extended their lead when the Fleet defence failed to clear a cross from the left, and skipper, Ben Taylor headed in at the far post. Five minutes later it was 3-0, when mid-fielder, Bradley Spice was brought down in the box and made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick.
Catlin then rang the changes bringing on his three subs in an effort to get back in the game. Immediately Fleetıs fortunes changed, and from a corner a fierce shot from striker, Barry Parker rebounded for Shaun Hale to knock past keeper, Kevin Fewell.
Fleet then enjoyed one of their better periods of the game until, in the 74th minute disaster struck when keeper, Steve May was dismissed from the field for handling outside of his area.
With his subs used up and 16 year-old Youth Team keeper, Paul Smith stranded on the bench, Catlin then turned to striker, Ben Tiller to take over between the posts. The young 19 year-old coped well in his new role, as Sittingbourne used their man-advantage to good effect in the dying minutes of the game.
FLEET TOWN: May, Buckland, Millerick, Jeffrey, Blakely, (sub, 58 mins, Martin), Hare, Black, Anstey, Hale, Frampton, (Parker, 58), Proctor (Tiller, 58). Sub not used: Smith.