WHOEVER cursed Accrington Stanley from Gravesend made sure the jinx would last.

No matter how hard the Reds try, Fleet continue to torment them both home and away.

Stanley have met the Kent side five times in the Conference - and there have been four draws and one loss with John Coleman's side just unable to break the spell with a win.

And the manager is at a loss as to why Gravesend have this Indian sign over the Reds. In their first season in the Conference, Stanley were entering the unknown and Fleet just proved a hindrance.

In the Reds second season, Coleman's side could not win against the lower clubs and Gravesend proved another thorn in Stanley's side.

But this season, it was expected that the Reds would see off Liam Daish's side, despite their ninth spot, especially when they went 1-0 up to an Ian Craney superb solo effort.

The expectant home fans - with the Reds joint second in the league - were waiting for their side to once and for all put the visitors to the sword.

But the introduction of sub Onome Sodje - a teenage wonderkid and Darren Randolph's Charlton team-mate - meant Fleet continued to thwart the Reds and leave Coleman shaking his head at the injustice of it all.

The boss was furious his side hadn't played well but could not hide his frustration at the officials who he felt flagged for off-side wrongly when his strikers were through, and pulled both side's up repeatedly to make the game disjointed.

"We just don't seem able to beat Gravesend," said the boss. "I was disappointed with our performance but we still did enough to win the game.

"But it was ruined as a spectacle by the officials. It was stop-start. The ref had said before the game he liked to play advantage and yet the number of innocuous fouls given defied belief and the number of off-sides defied belief that were given for both sides.

"I think the fans would have been better going round to the officials back garden to watch them!"

Stanley must have looked at the Fleet line-up and been relieved they were without their top scorer Charlie MacDonald who couldn't shake off an ankle injury.

The Reds, though, had the side which had won five of the last six games with Leam Richardson back as left back with Chris Butler suspended.

There was little to pick between the two sides in the early stages as the wind played havoc with the high balls but then one spark of magic set the ground alight.

Craney tackled strongly in the centre circle, got the ball and raced towards the goal unleashing an unstoppable 20 yard shot which slotted low into the bottom of the Fleet goal.

It was the midfielder's third goal in three games and the fans hoped it signalled the revival for Stanley following their harsh midweek defeat to Morecambe.

It did seem to spur the home side on with David Brown, after taking the ball down, having a close range strike blocked; Steve Jagielka burst into life on the right wing while Gary Roberts was felled as he weaved his way into the area by Justin Skinner on 19 minutes - but nothing was given.

And more injury woes for Liam Daish should have been a bonus for the Reds when veteran winger Jimmy Jackson was carried off to be replaced by Sodje in just the 23rd minute - but his arrival was only a hindrance to Stanley who just couldn't deal with the powerful frontman.

The Reds still had their chances - Craney tried another long range effort after Brown sent him through while Roberts got the better of Lee Protheroe but Paul Mullin couldn't keep his shot on target on 37 minutes.

And then Fleet suddenly took charge and Stanley were rattled with a flurry of chances just before the break.

Skinner rifled a free kick just over Randolph's goal, Sodje's powerful strike was over the bar while Protheroe's free kick was also off-target.

And then Randolph had to be at his best to keep out fellow Charlton player Sodje when he burst through and the keeper did well to turn his fierce shot out for a corner.

Fleet continued in the same vein after the break with Sodje at the heart of every attack as Stanley's backline struggled to cope with his power and pace.

And it got worse for the Reds on 53 minutes when captain Peter Cavanagh limped off with a recurrence of the ankle injury which has hindered him in the last season.

Still Coleman showed he was going for the three points by introducing Benin international Rommy Boco and rearranging his backline with Jagielka dropping back.

And Boco's first touch was a flick header which came close while a deep Jagielka free kick found Roberts but Craig Holloway pushed out his goalbound header.

However, without the vital second goal, Fleet were always a threat and when Anthony Barry's free kick was blocked by the defence it spelt danger.

Jay Saunders got the ball straight to Sodje who broke quaickly, did well to fight off a challenge from Robbie Williams and, with Randolph suddenly chasing out of his goal and leaving it unguarded, the teenager chipped from 18 yards into an empty net.

And they could have had a second a minute later when unmarked sub Ben Surey fired a Sodje cross wide - but should have done better.

Stanley could still have broke the hoodoo when a backpass almost let Andy Mangan in while, minutes later, Mullin headed into Holloway's arms. And then both Mangan and Mullin were caught off-side as they charged goalwards - although Coleman disagreed with the assistant's flag.

Both sides had one last chance to grab the three points late on with Sodje setting up Saunders but he ballooned the ball into Randolph's arms much to the relief of the Reds.

And Mullin burst through in injury time but his cross across the face of goal was blocked by Ross Smith as both sides shared the spoils - yet again.

Coleman was gutted: "Ian has scored a great goal but he did get into two good opporunties on the edge of the box and, when players were in better positions, he snatched a shot. We needed to be two or three goals up and we could have been.

"We have had a stonewall penalty turned down but that's our lot and we don't seem to be getting the rub of the green with decisions.

"No disrespect to Gravesend, but they shouldn't be living with us and at times they didn't in the first half.

"But we didn't play well and we didn't have that oomph or spark about us."

And Coleman said that Randolph had admitted his mistake.

"Darren has held his hands up," said the Reds chief of his keeper. "If he stays where he is, it is not a problem but he is a young kid and he will learn from that. Unfortunately he is learning with us. "