Alex Inglethorpe ran the rule over Exeter City from a seat in the grandstand as the side he takes over on Monday earned a draw at Stonebridge Road.
City went in front in the 21st minute. Alex Jeannin swung a free-kick into the home penalty area where Santos Gaia rose to head home his fifth goal of the season.
The goal was the only effort on target from either side in a dreary first half, with Ben Surey off target for Gravesend with a couple of effort, and Steve McKimm seeing his 25-yard shot whistle over the bar on 37 minutes.
Jay Saunders saw a header curl away from Martin Rice's goal soon after the interval and Rice had to scramble the ball to safety in the 55th minute when he badly misjudged a free-kick from opposite number Paul Wilkerson that bounced ovet his head.
Substitute Moussa Sidibe had the Fleet's first effort on target on 64 minutes when he headed a Justin Skinner cross into Rice's arms before Roy Essandoh struck his sixth goal of the season.
With 19 minutes remaining Lee Protheroe launched the ball forward to Manny Omoyinmi on the edge of the box and he chested it into the path of Essandoh who volleyed the ball home from 25 yards.
With 81 minutes gone, the Fleet had a red hot shout for a penalty when a Matthew Lovell cross picked out Omoyinmi in the box.
Jeannin brought the striker down, but referee David Phillips let play continue.