City give youth a chance as big guns miss clash

Source: Rhod Mitchell, West Briton.

Truro City 0 Plymouth Argyle 1

TRURO City player-manager Lee Hodges will hope to welcome back some of his more experienced players in the coming weeks, though he was still given plenty of food for thought after watching a largely youthful line-up lose narrowly to League Two Plymouth Argyle at Treyew Road on Tuesday night.

Lee Hodges at the Argyle game on Tuesday night

With Marcus Martin and Steve Adams already sidelined through injury, Hodges was dealt a further blow hours before the game after learning that Les Afful and Arran Pugh were unable to play.

Barry Hayles, who played in a friendly for Salisbury on Saturday, was also missing, though Hodges is still hoping to convince the veteran striker to spend a second season at Treyew Road.

Experience

Skipper Jake Ash, Joe Broad, Stewart Yetton and Andy Watkins provided the only real experience in Tuesday's starting line-up as Hodges ran the rule over a number of younger players.

Ben Williams, who was at Penzance last season, started at left-back, while former Swansea City defender Frazer Clark was also included in the starting XI.

Dan Green, who joined the club recently from Falmouth Town, was also handed a start at right-back, while former Torquay youth team player Rob Wearne, who spent last season at Penryn, was introduced as a second half substitute.

But in truth, and with such an unfamiliar line-up, and against a similarly experimental Plymouth Argyle squad, Tuesday's friendly provided few highlights for the 1,007 crowd.

Nonetheless, Hodges, whose side host Falmouth Town in the Aubrey Wilkes Memorial Trophy on Saturday, felt it was a useful 90 minutes for the players he had available.

He said: "I've got a few missing at the moment, some are a few weeks away, one or two have work commitments.

"One or two were ill and rang me today (on Tuesday) and they are my more experienced boys.
"I would have liked to have had them down but they weren't here and that just gives the young boys an opportunity.

"It was a good workout for us, the result didn't really mean that much and overall I was pleased.
"All I can do at the moment is look at these youngsters and see if they can make the grade."
Rhys Griffiths' 37th minute strike was all that separated the sides as Argyle deservedly led at the break.

The goal could so easily have been prevented as Griffiths was allowed a clear sight at goal after Clark failed to deal with Cornishman Jamie Lowry's cross.

Injury

And that was to be Lowry's last involvement in the game for his new club, following his recent move from Chesterfield, as the midfielder, who grew up in Newquay, withdrew minutes later through injury.

Truro-born Jared Sims was introduced for Argyle in the second half and he was unlucky not to score against his hometown club when he struck the bar.

Curtis Nelson then rattled the bar with another effort, before the woodwork came to Truro's rescue again when Joe Lennox hit the upright.

But in fairness those chances were the highlights of an otherwise dour encounter.

Hodges said: "I would like my main men to be out there and playing but there is still a lot going on and hopefully it will all be settled soon."