Amazing hat-trick from defender earns City dramatic win

Report by Rhod Mitchell, West Brition.

Truro City 3  Gloucester City 2

Truro City reached the first round proper of the FA Carlsberg Trophy for the first time with  a dramatic third qualifying round replay win over their Blue Square Bet North opponents at Treyew Road on Tuesday evening.
And their unlikely hero was defender Arran Pugh with a first hat-trick for the club as he broke his scoring duck this season in amazing style.

All of the tall defender's goals came from headers from expertly delivered free-kicks by left back Scott Walker, with Pugh's hat-trick goal clinching victory in the 90th minute after the visitors had fought back from 2-0 down with two late goals.

After a goalless first half which saw Truro's Stewart Yetton and Gloucester's Darren Mullings both hitting the woodwork, it took City less than a minute of the second period to  break the deadlock when Pugh got his first goal with a close range header from Walker's free-kick from the left.

And he quickly made it 2-0 with another header as Walker swung in another free kick this time from the right.
But in  the closing stages the visitors staged a rousing fight back.as substitute Scott Wilson and Mullings get them back on level terms with two goals in quick succession.

But Pugh was not be denied as yet another header from a  Walker free-kick clinched a home first round tie with Conference Premier Division side  Ebbsfleet United on Saturday week..

TRURO CITY:  Sandercombe; McConnell, Adams Pugh, Walker, Watkins, Martin, Palmer, Yetton (Smith 70),  Ash (capt). Subs (not used): Cooke, Hodges, Brooks,  Conibear-Trathen.

Yellow cards: Yetton (12), Martin (31), Palmer (36).

GLOUCESTER CITY:  Green; Rawlings (Mustoe 65), Weir, Coupe, Hamblin, Webb (capt) (Wilson 66), Reece (Davis 55), Mullings, Edwards, Morford, Mann. Sub (not used):  Liddiard.

Yellow cards: Coupe (25), Davis (65), Mustoe  (89).
Scorers: Pugh (46) 1-0, Pugh  (52) 2-0;  Wilson  (85) 2-1, Mullings  (87) 2-2; Pugh (90) 3-2.

Referee: Adam Bromley (Plymouth).
Crowd:  228