Knaphill were denied a hard-earned away victory deep into stoppage time as Fleet Town struck late to salvage a point in a fiercely contested league encounter.

The visitors started with intent and issued an early warning after 18 minutes. Collins floated a measured cross to the back post and Murdoch slid the ball past Gray, only for the assistant’s flag to rule it out. Three minutes later, Harland-Goddard struck cleanly from the edge of the area, but Drinkwater dived in with a last-ditch block to deflect the effort over the bar.

Momentum was briefly checked midway through the half when Burnham was cautioned for a foul on 29 minutes, before Fleet’s Avery followed him into the book shortly after for failing to stop his run and following through on Keogh after the goalkeeper had already claimed the ball.

A key moment arrived on 34 minutes when Louis Collins was shown a sin bin, forcing Knaphill to defend with ten men for ten minutes. Fleet enjoyed their strongest spell during this period and went close three minutes later as Postance met a cross with a firm header, forcing Keogh into an acrobatic fingertip save onto the bar.

As pressure built, King was cautioned for kicking the ball away after the whistle, before Fraser entered the book for a strong tackle from behind. Taylor was also booked as a feisty first half drew to a close.

Despite the disruption, Knaphill finished the half strongly and were rewarded in stoppage time. From a corner, King showed quick thinking under pressure to flick the ball back to the edge of the area, where Throp took one touch before whipping a superb strike into the net to give the visitors a deserved lead at the break.

The second half saw Knaphill continue to look dangerous on the counter. On 50 minutes, they broke quickly from a Fleet corner as King picked out Murdoch, who carried the ball powerfully into the Fleet half before sliding Halloufi through the middle. Clean through, he lifted his effort high over the bar. Six minutes later, Halloufi again drove forward, cutting in from the right before pulling the ball back to Murdoch, whose effort flew just over the bar.

Fleet responded a minute later when Avery struck powerfully from the edge of the area, with Wensley’s deflection sending the ball onto the post. Throp was cautioned just after the hour mark for a late, mistimed challenge in midfield as the game became increasingly fractured.

On 68 minutes, Drinkwater drove into the Knaphill half before releasing Bartlett down the left. He weaved inside and fired towards the bottom corner, but Keogh reacted sharply to tip the effort around the post.

Knaphill came agonisingly close to extending their lead on 72 minutes. Collins whipped in a free kick from the left and Wensley rose superbly at the back post to beat Gray, only to see his header crash against the bar. The rebound fell to Murdoch, but Avery was on the line to block the follow-up and clear.

Knaphill looked to freshen things up as Burton was introduced to provide a more direct attacking outlet down the left. Harland-Goddard, who had put in a strong shift, was later withdrawn after covering significant ground in midfield.

Burke was booked during a scrappy spell late on, before Fleet were briefly reduced to ten men on 86 minutes when Kandi was sent to the sin bin. Knaphill were unable to capitalise and were made to pay in the closing moments.

In the second minute of added time, Fleet were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area following a clash involving King. Taylor rolled the ball to the side of the wall for the run of Bartlett, catching Knaphill expecting the shot. Bartlett squared across goal and Karczewski bundled the ball in at the back post to level the contest.

Fleet nearly snatched a winner moments later when Postance headed a corner towards the bottom corner, but Keogh got down well and bravely claimed the ball amid a crowd of players.

It was a frustrating end for Knaphill, who will feel they had done enough to take all three points. A strong first-half display and a series of second-half chances went unrewarded, but the performance offered plenty of encouragement.

Fleet Town:
Gray; Manning, Drinkwater, Dyett (C), Avery; Fraser (Butler 74), Hillary (Kandi 66), Taylor; Postance, Sellick (Bartlett 52), Burke (Karczewski 74)

Knaphill:
Keogh; Halloufi, Stanic Stewart, Burnham (C), Wensley; Baisden (Burton 52), King, Collins, Harland-Goddard (Woolgar 64); Murdoch, Throp (Carrod 90+1)

Unused subs: Souza, Mitchell