Ten-man Fleet salvaged a point from their longest away trip of the season as Anthony Acheampong’s second-half equaliser kept his side’s unbeaten away record intact. And although Daryl McMahon’s team saw their lead at the top cut by Maidstone United, the rescue of a point following the sending-off of Matt Fish, together with Sutton letting slip a two-goal lead late on, will mean the long journey home is not quite as painful as it might have been for supporters.

Fleet made one change, Jordan Parkes coming in for Danny Kedwell whose withdrawal was forced by an illness to his son. In windy conditions, the game got off to a slow start with Brandon Hall saving a routine effort from Danny Green while Matt Godden fired a shot over with his back to goal and Aaron McLean was unable to connect with a chance.

Proceedings continued to be scrappy as Fleet let the home side enjoy possession but looked to cause trouble on the counterattack. Parkes saw one effort fly over and then turned provider for Godden who was unfortunate to see his shot from wide skip across the goalmouth.

That ignited Fleet’s best spell of the half and Martin Rice had to force Godden away from goal as he bore down on the goalkeeper and the best Godden could then manage was to lift his shot over. Truro continued to threaten as well and Green’s cross eluded a teammate before Fleet giftwrapped the lead to their hosts.

Right before half-time, Acheampong slipped a back pass towards Hall whose kick at the ball was high and it rolled under his feet and over the line to send Truro in at the break a goal to the good.

There was plenty of action early on in the second period when Anthony Cook supplied Godden who this time got the better of Rice, rounded him but saw his shot come back off the inside of the post. Any hopes that Fleet would batter the Truro goal, however, seemed forlorn moments later. Fish lunged in on Matt Jay and was issued with his side’s second red card on successive Saturdays and Fleet were momentarily reeling.

The men in yellow hung on as Ollie Knowles hit the post from a free-kick on 55 minutes but then grabbed their lifeline. That arrived on 58, Cook’s delivery from a free-kick out wide coming off the wall into McLean’s path and in the resulting goalmouth scramble, Acheampong was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

Both sides went looking for a winner in the final half hour, with Hall managing to clear Fleet’s lines as an aerial duel threatened and the visitors then enjoyed some late pressure without truly testing Rice. The game reverted to its scrapiness of the first half as the chances became fewer and ultimately both sides were happy to settle for the point with Truro pleased to keep their own unbeaten run going while Fleet maintained their own away record and, under the circumstances of the sending-off and conditions, were certainly content with a point gained.

*With thanks to David Byrom for Twitter updates via @EUFCofficial this afternoon.

EUFC: Hall, Fish, Van den Bogaert, Lewis, Acheampong, Bonner, Rance, Godden, Parkes (Howe 56), McLean, Cook. Subs not used: Miles, Kissock, Sheringham, Pooley
TCFC: Rice, White, Brett (Afful 82) Bentley, Richards, Pugh, Knowles (Adelsbury 73), Green, Duff (Vassell 50), Jay, Cooke. Subs not used: Wright, Dawson
Attendance: 786