THURROCK boss Mark Stimson said his side’s failure to take their chances was the difference between Fleet and league leaders Needham Market.

A brace from the clinical Michael Brothers was enough to give Needham a 2-0 win in Suffolk.

Stimson said: “To play the top side away from home we needed to take any chances we created. We didn’t do this and fair play to Needham, they did.”

Abs Thompson spurned a good opportunity for Fleet at the back post while Lewwis Spence curled a free kick wide for the visitors in the opening exchanges.

But it was Needham who were having most of the game and they got their rewards until a quick-fire brace from Brothers just before the interval gave them a mountain to climb.

Thurrock were handed a lifeline in the 70th minute when Needham centre back Samuel Nunn was sent off for a second yellow card.

This gave the visitors the impetus and Simon King and Lewis Clark went close from successive corners.

Ross Wall had two late chances but couldn’t convert as Needham held firm.

Team: Walker, Clark, Goode, Gilman, King, Clark, Thomson (Osonowo 76), Spence, Hazelwood (Warner 63), Ross Wall, Ishmel Demontagnac (Reynolds 53).