Bishop's Stortford 0 Truro City 3

Bishop's Stortford suffered their fourth defeat in a row with a 3-0 home loss to Truro City in the Vanarama National South.
The Blues went behind early to a goal from the ever-dangerous Isaac Vassell, who was a menace to the Stortford back four.And two more goals from Ryan Brett and Matty Jay sealed the match for the impressive play-off chasing City.
The result leaves the Blues still just six points above the drop zone and sets up a massive clash with Chelmsford City on Monday night. 

Boss Rod Stringer was missing from the fixture, leaving assistant Nick Haycock and coach Tony Fenn in charge.
There were four changes to the starting line-up that lost to Maidstone United the previous week, with Tom Lovelock, George Allen, Frankie Merrifield and Robbie Willmott all in the 11.
The Blues could have taken the lead in the first two minutes as Morgan Ferrier got down the right wing. He fired towards goal, which keeper Martin Rice parried into the path of Willmott. However, the winger's shot was blocked and Truro cleared away.
And from that clearance the visitors went straight up the other end and scored the opener. The dangerous Vassell, who was a handful all afternoon, latched on to a long ball. He beat Kenzer Lee and then slotted the ball past Lovelock.
The Blues were all over the place defensively in the first ten minutes, and City should have extended their lead. Once again Vassell beat his man down the right and fired a ball across. Dan Green was at the back post to finish it off, but Johnny Herd put in a superb block to clear the danger.
The game lost its intensity in the middle stage of the half, with the cut-up pitch making chances to come by difficult.
Stortford finally had their first shot on target with Elliott Buchanan got on the end of a Corby Moore cross in the 30^th minute. However, his header was weak and straight into the arms of Rice.
But the visitors went close twice in the space of three minutes. Stortford gave the ball away cheaply and Jay slipped through Vassell. He fired across the goal, but Lovelock did brilliantly to tip the effort around the post.
Vassell thought he had bagged his second when he nodded home from close range, but the flag was raised for offside and the goal was chalked off.
Stortford finally started showing some impetus going forward with five minutes to go in the half. Ferrier did brilliantly down the left to win the ball and lay it back to Buchanan. However, the top scorer couldn't keep his effort down and it went high over the bar.
Buchanan then turned provider to Ferrier with a little clip over the top. The striker rushed through but right-back Shane White made a superb covering tackle to clear the danger.
From the following corner, the Blues probably wasted their best opportunity. Willmott was there to meet the flag-kick at the back post and clip it across goal. Merrifield met the ball but, under pressure he nodded over from inside the six-yard box.
The home side had Lovelock to thank for going into the break just one goal behind after a superb stop. White crossed into the unmarked Cody Cooke on the six-yard box, but the Stortford stopper did brilliantly to deny him from close range.
Stortford came out the blocks quickly and almost grabbed an equaliser four minutes after the break. Willmott clipped the ball over to Ferrier who turned inside and beat his man. However, his shot was saved by the legs of Rice and cleared away.
And almost in identical circumstances to the first goal, Stortford conceded a second just a minute later. Herd was caught in possession and Vassell got down the right. He crossed into Brett at the near post to nod home into the bottom corner.
It was almost a third for Truro as Jay raced through on goal in the 56^th minute. However, his effort was saved by Lovelock, with Herd blocking the follow up well.
But as Stortford pushed hard for a way back into the game, they always looked susceptible to a counter-attack, which is exactly what happened in the 62^nd minute. Vassell turned provider once again as he burst down the left. He slotted the ball across to Jay who had the simple task of tapping home to put the game beyond Stortford.
The Blues huffed and puffed to get something from the contest, with Ashley Miller clipping the bar with a header.
But in truth the home side lacked that cutting edge in front of goal, getting to the byline on several occasions, but the final ball going astray too often.
Ferrier had a massive shout for a penalty turned down when it looked like Jake Ash had pulled him down. But nothing was given in a frustrating afternoon for the striker.
Bishop's Stortford: Lovelock, Miller, Herd (M'Boungou 63), Ekim (Suarez 63), Lee, Allen, Moore, Merrifield, Buchanan (Lawrence 74), Willmott, Ferrier.
Subs not used: Lawrence, Abdullahi, St Louis-Hamilton.
Truro City: Rice, White, Riley-Lowe, Brett, Bentley (Ash 69), Pugh, Knowles, Green, Jay (Adelsbury 63), Vassell (Wright 75), Cooke.
Subs not used: Afful, Dawson.
Goals: Vassell (3), Brett (50), Jay (62)
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 355


Read more: http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/Bishop-s-Stortford-0-Truro-City-3-Blues-slip/story-28819779-detail/story.html#ixzz41Snv5Ebs

Truro City 1 v Ebbsfleet 1

Ten-man Fleet salvaged a point from their longest away trip of the season as Anthony Acheampong’s second-half equaliser kept his side’s unbeaten away record intact. And although Daryl McMahon’s team saw their lead at the top cut by Maidstone United, the rescue of a point following the sending-off of Matt Fish, together with Sutton letting slip a two-goal lead late on, will mean the long journey home is not quite as painful as it might have been for supporters.
Fleet made one change, Jordan Parkes coming in for Danny Kedwell whose withdrawal was forced by an illness to his son. In windy conditions, the game got off to a slow start with Brandon Hall saving a routine effort from Danny Green while Matt Godden fired a shot over with his back to goal and Aaron McLean was unable to connect with a chance.
Proceedings continued to be scrappy as Fleet let the home side enjoy possession but looked to cause trouble on the counterattack. Parkes saw one effort fly over and then turned provider for Godden who was unfortunate to see his shot from wide skip across the goalmouth.
That ignited Fleet’s best spell of the half and Martin Rice had to force Godden away from goal as he bore down on the goalkeeper and the best Godden could then manage was to lift his shot over. Truro continued to threaten as well and Green’s cross eluded a teammate before Fleet giftwrapped the lead to their hosts.
Right before half-time, Acheampong slipped a back pass towards Hall whose kick at the ball was high and it rolled under his feet and over the line to send Truro in at the break a goal to the good.
There was plenty of action early on in the second period when Anthony Cook supplied Godden who this time got the better of Rice, rounded him but saw his shot come back off the inside of the post. Any hopes that Fleet would batter the Truro goal, however, seemed forlorn moments later. Fish lunged in on Matt Jay and was issued with his side’s second red card on successive Saturdays and Fleet were momentarily reeling.
The men in yellow hung on as Ollie Knowles hit the post from a free-kick on 55 minutes but then grabbed their lifeline. That arrived on 58, Cook’s delivery from a free-kick out wide coming off the wall into McLean’s path and in the resulting goalmouth scramble, Acheampong was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.
Both sides went looking for a winner in the final half hour, with Hall managing to clear Fleet’s lines as an aerial duel threatened and the visitors then enjoyed some late pressure without truly testing Rice. The game reverted to its scrapiness of the first half as the chances became fewer and ultimately both sides were happy to settle for the point with Truro pleased to keep their own unbeaten run going while Fleet maintained their own away record and, under the circumstances of the sending-off and conditions, were certainly content with a point gained.

EUFC: Hall, Fish, Van den Bogaert, Lewis, Acheampong, Bonner, Rance, Godden, Parkes (Howe 56), McLean, Cook. Subs not used: Miles, Kissock, Sheringham, Pooley
TCFC: Rice, White, Brett (Afful 82) Bentley, Richards, Pugh, Knowles (Adelsbury 73), Green, Duff (Vassell 50), Jay, Cooke. Subs not used: Wright, Dawson
Attendance: 786

http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/truro-city-1-1-fleet/

Truro City 4 Hemel Hempstead 2

There was a City debut for new signing central defender Aaron Bentley, with Jamie Richards switching to left back in place of the injured Conor Riley-Lowe, while Cooke also returned after injury.

Another new signing Ben Adelsbury was on the bench but there was no place in the 16 for Jake Ash.
Watched by a crowd of 626, some no doubt attracted by the offer of free admission, City got off to the perfect start when they took the lead in the 16th minute.
The lively Matt Jay did well to win the ball in his own half and he launched a long ball to Vassell on the right and the in-form striker cut inside before letting fly with an unstoppable left footed drive into the far corner.
But the home side then switched off seven minutes later as they allowed Hemel captain Jamie Slabber a clear path to goal and he gave Martin Rice no chance with an assured finish.
City though continued to hold the ascendancy, producing some great attacking football, with the pace of Vassell causing the visitors continual problems.
And when, after 28 minutes, the striker latched onto another long ball, he was brought down just inside the area by a desperate tackle by Hemel defender Oliver Thorne who was booked.
Brett took the penalty and although Hemel keeper Jamie Butler got his hands to spot kick as he dived to his left, the ball found the back of the net via the post.

Promoted by Robinsons

Just before half time Green latched on to a bad clearance by Butler to make it 3-1 with another great strike which flew past the bemused keeper, who had an eventful evening with his forays out of goal.
In the second half though City started to sit deeper, allowing the Hertfordshire side to push forward and several times they threatened a goal with Rice making a couple of vital saves
So it was a great relief to the home fans, who had seen the team throw away a two goal lead three times in their previous home match against Maidenhead United, when great work by Vassell saw him win the ball just on the half way line

With Hemel short of numbers he surged forward before feeding Cooke to his right who lashed the ball home to make it 4-1 and wrap up the points, before a late Jamie Potton snap shot gave Hemel a consolation second goal.
Truro though were worthy winners with their first half display one of their best 45 minutes of the season and the play-offs and the prospects of a possible second successive promotion are becoming ever more realistic.
Truro City: Rice; White, Pugh, Bentley (Dawson 80), Richards, Knowles, Green, Cooke, Brett (Adelsbury 58), Vassell, Jay (Afful 72). Subs not used: Wright, Duff .
Yellow cards: None.
Hemel Hempstead Town: Butler; Richens, Thorne (Laucys 72), Hickford, Greenidge (Morgan 56), Shields, Oli, Mitchell-King, Potton, Montgomery, Slabber. Subs (not used): Smith, Forbes, Warner-Eley
Yellow card: Thorne.
Goals: Vassell (16) 1-0, Slabber (25) 1-1, Brett (pen 28) 2-1, Green (39) 3-1, Cooke (76) 4-1, Potton (84) 4-2.
Referee: Adam Ricketts.
Crowd: 626


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Truro-City-v-Hemel-Hempstead-Town/story-28746036-detail/story.html#ixzz40W2HeXSu

Wealdstone 4 Truro City 4

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City staged an incredible fightback from being 4-0 down early in the second half to earn a remarkable National League South point at a windswept Wealdstone to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.

It had looked grim for the visitors when, after going in 3-0 down at half time, they soon conceded a fourth through an Arran Pugh own goal, before goals from Isaac Vassell, Pugh and two from man of the match Ryan Brett, including a dramatic stoppage time equaliser, snatched a point from a game in which City were second best for the opening 50 minutes.
And the point lifted City up a place to sixth in the table, just two points off the play-off places.

In the only change from the team that beat St Albans City last week, Jake Ash made his first start of the year in midfield, with Cody Cooke still out with a rib problem, while new signing Aaron Bentley was on the bench
City got off to an awful start as Matt Ball scored with a low 20 yard drive into the bottom corner.
And eight minutes before the break, Jefferson Louis ran on to a through ball and beat Rice to make it 2-0.
It got worse two minutes later when Matthew Harriott followed up to score after a shot from Bradley Jefferson-Odoi was saved by Martin Rice as City went in 3-0 down at the break.
With the strong wind at their backs in the second half, Truro must have hoped to have got off to a fast start but soon found themselves 4-0 down with an own goal afer 49 minutes as Pough tried to clear, but gave themselves hope after 58 minutes with a goal from Vassell, who latched onto a ball over the top and finished well to take his tally to five in as many matches.
The visitors continued to press but found Wealdstone keeper Taylor in outstanding form, but they finally beat him after 81 minutes with a free kick from Brett into the top corner.

It was all City and with three minutes left Pugh headed home Brett's free kick to set up a frantic finale with Brett then striking in stoppage time with a rare right footed steffort to seal a remarkable fightback for the visitors who are at home to Bath City on Tuesday evening.
And City boss Steve Tully was full of praise for his team's fighting spirit to take something from a game which appeared to be lost,
He said: "The players never say attitude was incredible to get a point, but we had too many players at five or six out of ten.
"In the first half we were poor and could have been four or five goals down. Then we went 4-0 down and few would have given us a hope but once we got the first goal it all changed. It's great to keep the run going."


WEALDSTONE: Taylor; McLeod-Urquhart, Binns, Parker (capt), Cadmore, Godfrey, Ball, Harriott, Louis, Davies, Hudson-Odoi.
Subs: Lucien, Duffy, Orenuga, Maitrepierre, Parsons.
CITY: Rice; Mitchell, Pugh (capt), Richards, Riley-Lowe; Green, Knowles, Ash, Brett; Jay, Vassell.
Subs: Duff, Dawson, Bentley, Afful, Gill.
Goals Ball (4) 1-0, Louis (37) 2-0, Harriott (41) 3-0, Pugh (49 og) 4-0, Vassell 958) 4-1, Brett (81) 4-2, Pugh (87) 4-3, Brett (90) 4-4
Referee: M Buonassisi

Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Wealdstone-v-truro-City/story-28684192-detail/story.html#ixzz3zhQrBYS5

St Albans 0 v Truro City 1

View the match highlights here http://www.stalbanscityfc.com/event/st-albans-city-v-truro-city-30012016/