United's battle weary team had barely 11 fit players against Purfleet. In the previous home game United struck six against Oxford City, but against a well organised Purfleet they rarely troubled keeper Micky Desborough in the first half.

The visitors took the lead three minutes before the interval when Gary Phillips parried a Lee Williams shot and Joseph Odegbami was on hand to slot in the loose ball.

United improved in the second half and Matt Hayward and Stacy Joseph forced a couple of good saves out of Desborough, but twelve minutes from time Paul Cobb raced through to score his 27th goal of the season to put the result beyond doubt.