GRAVESEND & Northfleet manager Andy Ford has warned that the Ryman League, Premier Division, title race will not be over until the fat lady sings - and she could keep both the Fleet and championship rivals Canvey waiting.

Ford was at pains today to dismiss the widely held belief that whoever wins tonight's eagerly awaited clash with Canvey at Stonebridge Road would go on and take the title. The Fleet are level on points with leaders Canvey but crucially have a game in hand over the islanders.

"I know it's a two-horse race and I know that in some quarters tonight's game is being billed as the championship decider. But I've never seen it like that," said Ford.

"I believe the title race will go down to the wire. With seven games remaining after Canvey, there are plenty more twists and turns to come. I said that after the big disappointment at Purfleet and nothing has changed my mind. I know it's an old cliché but we're taking one match at a time.

"The players are doing that now which is important because no final run in is ever easy and it's impossible to say where you can pick up points."

Twenty-one remain on offer after tonight with the Kent club on course to rejoin the Nationwide Conference of which they were founder members when the competition was known as the Alliance Premier League.

The Fleet go into the game safe in the knowledge that should they win the title they will be guaranteed promotion to the Conference as their ground has the required grading. Canvey, who have spent £200,000 in the last six weeks upgrading their ground, still await a Conference grading. They expect a visit from the grading committee next month.

The Fleet's biggest crowd for years is expected tonight with some predicting that it could reach 3,000.

Canvey, who are offering subsidised coach travel to the match, are bringing between 600 to 700 supporters.

Fleet's Nick Burton believes both sets of players will thrive in the atmosphere. He said: "I played for Torquay in front of a crowd of 10,000 at Preston and loved every minute. The atmosphere tonight will be electric and the players will love it".

Ford has a fully fit squad available and could start with the side that beat fifth placed Grays 2-0 on Saturday.

"We were different class on Saturday and I was very pleased with the way we played against strong opposition," he said.

Tonight's match kicks off at 7.45pm.

Gravesend: Turner; (from) Lee, Duku, Burton, Skinner; Smith, Owen, McKimm, Jackson, Stadhardt, Wilkins, Williams, Parker, Barnett.

Canvey: Harrison; Kennedy, Knight, Chenery, Ward, Smith, Tilson, Boylan, Gregory, Miller, Parmenter, Bennett, Bolt, Cobb.