Southport 2 Gravesend & Northfleet 2

GRAVESEND let the lead slip twice as they took a point from their Nationwide Conference trip to Southport on Saturday.

A flurry of goals in the first-half set the tone for the game, which was played at a high tempo.

Fleet started the more positive of the two sides and were denied a penalty by the referee after Danny Slatter went down inside the area early on.

And that positivity was rewarded on 12 minutes when Mark DeBolla showed his quality from set pieces by sending a 30-yard free-kick into the top corner - it was his fourth goal of the campaign.

DeBolla went close again with a free-kick but this time his effort was straight at Southport keeper Paul Harrison.

The home side's first chance came in the 22nd minute but Paul Martin's header failed to trouble Lance Cronin in the Gravesend goal.

However, they didn't have to wait too long for the equaliser and the 32nd minute saw Mark Boyd show that anything DeBolla can do he can match as he also sent a 30-yard free-kick high into the Fleet net.

The visitors continued to press and Slatter hit the angle of post and bar before they regained the lead in the 37th minute when Luke Moore coolly netted when one-on-one with the keeper having been played in superbly by Charlie MacDonald.

Again, though, they were pegged back by Southport, who were level for the second time before half-time. Cronin could only parry Rob Booth's dangerous cross into the path of Michael Powell who was left with a simple tap-in.

Goalscorer Powell received his marching orders for a second bookable offence early in the second half but neither team was able to find a winner despite chances at both ends.

Gravesend: Cronin, J Smith, McCarthy, R Smith, Ricketts (Sodje 90), Slatter (Coleman 76), DeBolla, Quinn, Keeling, Moore, MacDonald.
Subs not used: Mott, McKenna, Roberts.
Attendance: 861.