City still not safe after Bromley defeat

Source Western Morning News


Truro City head to champions Woking next Saturday looking over their shoulders after Saturday's 2-1 home setback against Blue Square Bet South relegation rivals Bromley.

The result leaves 15th-placed City seven points above third-from-bottom Hampton and Richmond, who have two games in hand on all but one of the six teams above them, including Truro.

City boss Lee Hodges admits: "It's still not all done and dusted yet.

"Obviously there are teams – like Basingstoke – that can do us a big favour but the bottom line is that although we have done enough to finish ahead of the bottom two, there are still a lot of teams looking over their shoulder at that third from bottom spot and, unfortunately, we are one of them.

"We will be looking for results to go in our favour but it hasn't happened yet and you cannot rely on that. It's down to us and we have got to go to the champions on Saturday and then we play the runners-up (Dartford) at home in our final game.

"On Saturday, we were just not at it like we were on Monday for the win at Dorchester.

"To be honest, I was delighted to come in at half-time at 0-0 and when we went 1-0 up, I thought it might be our lucky day. It wasn't."

On Saturday, at wind and rain-lashed Treyew Road, City took the lead through forward Andy Watkins, who converted a 47th-minute Martin Gritton cross.

Gritton had a shot saved by Bromley goalkeeper Joe Welch and central defender Arran Pugh headed just wide from Scott Walker's corner as City pressed for a second goal.

However, they were caught on the counter and Michael Malcolm rounded recalled City number one Tim Sandercombe to restore parity in the 56th minute.

Sandercombe – playing his first game of the year after recovering from a knee injury – made a superb save to deny Malcolm while Welch kept out efforts by Gritton and Walker.

Walker made a spectacular off the line clearance but the visitors' went ahead when Danny Waldren's free-kick took a wicked deflection to give Sandercombe no chance.

Walker came closest to levelling but fired wide after being first to Welch's parry from substitute Barry Hayles' goal-bound header.

Hodges said: "I felt for Tim because he has come back in and made some great saves and there was nothing he could do about the goals, especially the winner, which took a wicked, wicked deflection into the opposite corner from where the guy was aiming."