Truro City battle to crucial win against fellow strugglers

By Rhod Mitchell

Truro City 3 AFC Hornchurch 2

City picked up three crucial points in their desperate battle to avoid relegation from Blue Square Bet South in an incident-packed game against fellow strugglers Hornchurch.

It was a "must win" win game for City after three successive defeats and two goals from the fit again Kieffer Moore and one from man of the match Andy Watkins were enough to give them a precious victory.

With Moore striking just before and after half time to put City 2-0 up the home side looked on course for a relatively comfortable win against the Essex visitors.

But they then lost keeper Tim Sandercombe, who had just been beaten by Leon Mckenzie's low drive, to a serious-looking knee injury sustained in the first half.

City skipper Jake Ash took over in goal with player-manager Lee Hodges coming on to take Ash's place at the heart of the home defence.

Ash went on to make several crucial saves after Watkins had put City 3-1 up with a close range header after 66 minutes.

He was though beaten deep into stoppage time when McKenzie score his second from close range after the ball had run loose following a great save by Ash.

But the goal came too late as City were able to celebrate a morale-boosting win.

In the first half Watkins missed a couple of early openings for City with Tambson Eyong wasting the visitors' best chance when he shot wide.

But just when the half seemed set to end goalless Watkins found Moore on the edge of the area and he controlled the ball well before drilling the ball past Joe Wooley and into the far corner.

And Moore's second goal was even better as he lashed the ball into the roof of the net from a pull back by Watkins four minutes after the interbval.

But with Sandercombe hardly able to move because of his injury McKenzie took advantage of the keeper's immobility to race onto a through ball and finish well.

City needed a third goal and it came after 66 minutes when Marcus Martin at the far post headed a free -kick from Hodges back across goal for Watkins to head home from point blank range.

Hornchurch through were far from finished and the City goal had several narrow escapes but with some determined defending and Ash's heroics in goal they stayed firm until McKenzie's late goal.

And in the rain and wind it was a delighted City team who celebrated three priceless points at the final whistle.

City: Sandercombe (Hodges 61); Green, Ash, Hall, Williams; Cooke, Broad, Martin, Afful; watkins, Moore. Subs (not used): Carn, Hopkinson, Hanrahan.

AFC Hornchurch: Woolley, Bentley (Tuohy 67), Daniel, Mckoy (May h-t), Reynolds, Curley, Eyong, Tomlinson, McKenzie, Smith, Spencer. Subs (not used): Cutler, styles, Glover.

Goals: Moore (45) 1-0, Moore (49) 2-0, McKenzie (56) 2-1, Watkins (66) 3-1, McKenzie 90 + 5 (3-2).

Referee: Nigel Lugg (Coulsdon).