A late goal conceded in the 5th minute of injury-time spelt disaster for Fleet Town on Tuesday night, after they had done enough to earn at least one point from this ill-tempered contest with fifth place visitors, Leatherhead.
After deservedly taking the lead in the 51st minute, Fleet looked to be hanging on after the visitors scored a fortunate equaliser ten minutes later. But then with the final whistle long overdue, Leatherhead's wingman Dave Stevens ran in a solo effort to steal the game with only seconds remaining.
But despite the disappointing end to the game, once again Fleet played well enough to win against one of the stronger sides in their division.
Manager, Paul Holden was again without skipper, Andy Darnton, and with stand-in skipper, Steve Riley also off with injury, and Andy Sinton back on the treatment table, the boss needed to recall Tony Millerick.
The visitors started the stronger and straight away Fleet looked vulnerable against the corners and free-kicks. Leatherhead defenders, Ian Hendry and Mark Harper both had straightforward heading chances early on, but each time missed the target.
After holding off the visitors for the first 25 minutes, the Fleet side then found their rhythm and strikers, David OcQuaye and Josh Francois were soon causing problems for the Leatherhead defence.
The best chance fell to Francois on 42 minutes, whose well-directed header looked to have beaten the keeper, Tommy Dunn. But the keeper somehow managed to get two hands on the ball, and bring off an incredible save to keep the scores level at half-time.
Fleet keeper, Justin Gray was soon in action after the break, saving well from wingman, Stevens.
The breakthough finally came for Fleet on 51 minutes. OcQuaye picked up a great through ball by Millerick and rounding two players crossed to an unmarked Tinoi Christie, whose first time strike gave Dunn no chance for the deserved opener.
Leatherhead then piled on the pressure, needing all three points to maintain pressure for a play-off place come the season end. The equaliser finally came on 64 minutes, when a free kick on the left from Stevens, floated across the goal-mouth, evaded everyone, hit the far post and re-bounded straight to Leatherhead's Tommy Moorhouse. The mid-fielder then had no problem slotting the ball past Gray for the equaliser.
The visitors then continued to dominate, without creating any more chance. For their part, Fleet looked dangerous on the break, and several times OcQuaye went close.
But with the game passing into injury time, it looked like a share of the points for both sides, until that is Stevens made his run down the left, and gave Gray no chance with his finishing from close range.
