Truro City 2 Gosport Borough 2

CITY will be disappointed they did not take all three points after twice taking the lead and finishing the much stronger side.
But the draw - City's sixth of the season but their first at home - did extend their unbeaten National League South run to seven games since that 6-0 defeat against Oxford City at the end of August
Fielding an unchanged team, City got off to a flying start taking an eighth minute lead, as Jamie Richards headed home a left wing corner from Aaron Dawson at the far post, with the ball going in off the underside of the bar.

The Hampshire side though looked dangerous going forward, but their equaliser eight minutes later was avoidable, as referee Lee Venamore awarded the visitors a penalty after City full-back Pierce Mitchell pushed Rowan Vine as they went up for a cross which was too high in any case for both of them.
Up stepped top scorer Justin Bennett, who gave Tom McHale no chance with his 18th goal of the season to make it 1-1.
But almost immediately Cty were given a gift goal of their own when Gosport keeper Nathan Ashmore horribly missed his attempted clearance, allowing Jamie Reid the easiest of chances to put the ball into the empty net.
Gosport however, continued to pose problems for the City defence, which lived dangerously at times before finally being breached in stoppage time as Vine made it 2-2 with the help of a deflection which wrongfooted McHale.
City then suffered a blow at the start of the second half with Ryan Brett, who had replaced the injured Jake Ash at half time, suffering a suspected broken nose after a clash of heads with City colleague Arran Pugh. This gave Ollie Knowles the chance to come on for his Truro debut.

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It took a while for City to adjust and Gosport looked the more likely winners for a spell,with Bennett and Brett Poate heading over, while Vine sliced an opening wide.
But as the half wore it was City who took control with Reid hitting the woodwork from a free-kick and Dan Green just wide, with a cross shot.
However, they were unable to find a winner for all their late pressure
TRURO CITY: McHale; Mitchell, Pugh, Richards, Riley-Lowe; Ash (Brett h-t) (Knowles 51), Green, Dawson, Cooke, Reid, Duff (Vassell 58). Subs (not used): Wright, Afful.
Yedllow cards: Ash, Mitchell
GOSPORT BOROUGH: Ashmore; Cuthbertson, Williams, Carter (Wort 82), Poate, Woodford, Barker, Ramsey (Wilde 90+2), Vine (Dunford 82), Bennett, Wooden. Subs (not used): Brice, Wheeler.
Yedllow cards: Williams, Woodford,
Goals: Richards (7) 1-0, Bennett (16) 1-1, Reid (18) 2-1, Vine (45+3) 2-2.
Referee: Lee Venamore (Kent FA)
Crowd: 401.


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Trur0/story-28046593-detail/story.html#ixzz3pglkhTI6

Whitehawk 0 Truro City 0

City bounced back from the disappointment of last week's FA Cup exit at Margate, as they turned in a terrific performance at high-flying Brighton-based Whitehawk to earn their fifth away National League South draw of the season.
And City boss Steve Tully was disappointed they had not taken all three points from the Enclosed Ground against the third-placed home side.
"It was a great point but we are disappointed we did not take all three," he said.

"We had four good chances and if we had taken one of those it would have been a different game.
"But it was important we had a reaction after last week and showed it was just a blip. Our players are getting, fitter and better every week and we have to make sure we keep improving."
Tom McHale came in for his first appearance of the season in goal in place of the injured Martin Rice, and had an excellent game, while Jamie Reid returned up front and there was a place on the bench for new signing Ollie Knowles.
The home side, who went into the game unbeaten in 12, had plenty of possession in the first half but City's defence was outstanding with the midfield working hard as did Reid and Duff up front.

After the break Cody Cooke forced out a good save out of Ross in the home goal and then had shot cleared off the line as City threatened a winner.
But in the end it was honours even and City now have two home games in a row as they bid to move into a comfortable mid-table position

WHITEHAWK: Ross, Arnold, VD Bogaert, Mendy (Martin 65), Leacock, Gotta, Neilson ( Ngamvoulo), Torres (C), Robinson, Mills, Deering.
Subs (not used): Stevens, Ijaha,, Sessegnon
Yellow cards: Den Bogaert
CITY: McHale; Mitchell, Richards Pugh, Riley-Lowe, Ash, Dawson, Green, Duff (Wright 64), Reid (Afful 80), Cooke, (Brett 84), Subs (not used): White Knowles
Yellow cards: Dawson (51), Ash (60), Green (90+1)..
Crowd: 355.


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Truro-City-continue-impressive-away-record-0-0/story-28003152-detail/story.html#ixzz3ovRUVVdm

Margate 4 Truro City 1

Two goals in the dying moments of the first half put Margate on the way to victory against Truro in the FA Cup third qualifying round.

Trailing to Craig Duff's seventh minute opener for the visitors the Gate were still desperately trying to find a way back when the game turned on its head in first-half stoppage time.

 

First Freddie Ladapo cut the ball back for Danny Green to equalise and then, in a reversal of roles, the scorer turned provider with the pass that teed-up Ladapo to make it 2-1.

 

Danny Green Picture: Don Walker

 

Further goals from substitute Brett Johnson and Jamie Taylor made victory safe but the gloss was taken off the win on 79 minutes when substitute Charlie Allen was sent off, just 90 seconds after coming on, for a bad challenge on Dan Green.

 

The win was Margate's first in eight games in front of their own fans this season, and ended a run of five straight defeats at Hartsdown.

 

Manager Terry Brown stuck by the team which was beaten 2-0 at home by Weston the previous weekend which meant there was no place in the starting line-up for Allen, who re-signed on a short term deal last week.

 

The Truro side meanwhile showed several changes from that drew 1-1 at Hartsdown on the opening day of the Vanarama National League South season.

 

The most notable absentee was suspended striker Isaac Vassell - cousin of former Aston Villa and England forward Darius - who had terrorised the Gate defence back on  that day back in August. They were also without new signing Jamie Reid whose loan club Exeter City do not want him to be cup-tied.

   

After all those successive home defeats Gate unsurprisingly began nervously and from the game's first corner, after two minutes, striker Ladapo miskicked towards his own goal.

 

They fell behind in the eighth minute when Truro midfielder Dan Green burst into the box before picking out Craig Duff who curled a shot beyond Nikki Bull and into the corner.

 

Gate created their first chance on 14 minutes when Truro keeper Martin Rice smothered from Kane Wills at the far post and soon after Danny Green sent a shot wide.

 

Luke Moore then had a low centre held by Rice and as the Gate stepped up the tempo, Rice had to punch clear from Ladapo who then rounded the keeper but his shot lacked conviction and was easily cleared.

 

Truro scorer Duff could have doubled his tally in the 32nd minute but blazed over after Matt Wright's flick had put him in behind the Gate defence. 

 

That miss came back to haunt Truro as the half reached its conclusion, with Danny Green and Ladapo the men who masterminded the Gate's recovery.

 

First Ladapo cut the ball back for Green to side foot home from eight yards and with the half in stoppage time, Green returned the favour with a  pass that put Ladapo in on goal.

His first attempt was smothered by Rice but he reacted smartly to lob the rebound home.

 

Truro had an early second half chance when Duff got in at the far post but Charlie Wassmer took the pace off his shot enabling Bull to palm the ball away.

 

Moore then fired wide for Gate before they increased their lead just after the hour following a handling error by Truro keeper Rice. He failed to deal with a left-wing corner and Johnson was on hand to head home.

 

As their confidence grew Gate created further chances to extend their advantage with Rice turning aside Moore's fierce low drive before blocking from Ladapo at his near post.

 

Glenn Wilson also had a header blocked at the far post with central defensive partner Wassmer sending another header over.

 

Allen entered the fray on 77 minutes but just two minutes later was heading for the changing rooms after a bad lunge on Green.

 

The Gate though weren't finished and with three minutes remaining made it 4-1 when Ladapo's low cross was turned home at the far post by Taylor.

 

Margate: Bull, Wilson, Nathan Green, Hunt, Goodman (sub Johnson half-time), Wassmer, Wills, Moore (sub, Tawio 82mins), Ladapo, Danny Green (sub, Allen 77mins), Taylor; Subs (not used): Moss, Jolley, Rents, Cash, Taiwo, 

Truro City: Rice, Mitchell, Riley-Lowe, Ash, Richards, Pugh, Dawson (sub, White 73mins), Green, Duff, Wright (sub, Afful 60mins), Brett (sub, Cooke 60mins); Subs: White, Cooke, Afful.
Attendance: 550
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/sport/gate-4-truro-1-44483/

Truro City 3 Havant and Waterlooville 0

City produced one of their best performances of the season to beat the Hampshire visitors and stretch their unbeaten run to seven matches.
Goals from debutant Jamie Reid, centre half Jamie Richards and substitute Isaac Vassell were enough to see off the Hawks, who have now lost four matches in a row.
The win moved City up a place to 13th in the Vanarama National League South table.
The home side showed just one change, with on loan signing Jamie Reid from Exeter City starting in place of Matt Wright who dropped to the bench.
Cody Cooke also returned to take his place on the bench after injury.
Defender Rob Farkins has had to leave the club because of his army commitments and was at the game to say his goodbyes.
City and Reid got off to the perfect start with a goal in the tenth minute, when he latched onto a Conor Riley-Lowe long ball and calmly lobbed Ryan Young in the Havant goal.
But the visitors came back well, with Matt Paterson clipping the top of the bar and James Hayter having a header cleared off the line.
Truro's defence though was very solid as they went into half time still 1-0 up.
At the start of the second half it needed a great save from Martin Rice to deny Patterson before City doubled their advantage with central defender Jamie Richards heading home Ryan Brett's corner after 50 minutes for his first goal for the club.
Havant continued to press, but the home defence was exceptional led by Arran Pugh and Richards.
And they then caught the visitors out, when Vassell lifted the ball over Young to make it 3-0, after running onto a long ball.
It was effectively game over as City saw the game out without too many problems to continue their recent improvement.
CITY: Rice; Mitchell, Pugh, Richards, Riley-Lowe; Ash (capt); Green (Afful 81), Brett, Dawson; Duff (Vassell 49), Reid (Wright 65), Subs (unused): Cooke, White.
Yellow cards: Brett.
Havant & Waterlooville: Young; Boco, Clifton, Blanchett, Strugnell, Monthe, Swallow (Thomson 76), Donnelly (Capt), Patterson, Hayter, Azeez (Mullings 76). Subs (not used): Morgan, Ridge, Cummings.
Yellow cards: Monthie.
Goals: Reid (10) 1-0, Richards (50) 2-0, Vassell (73) 3-0.
Referee: Daniel Leach.
Crowd: 478.

Taunton Town 2 Truro City 2

Taunton kept their Cup dream alive, coming from two down to force a replay against higher ranked Truro City in a rip-snorting FA Cup thriller at Wordsworth Drive.
The Conference South Cornishmen flew out of the traps and took the lead after nine minutes with a stunning right foot strike by Craig Duff, the ball whizzing over Lloyd Irish’s head and dipping just under the bar. They were all over the bemused homesters at this point, and almost bagged a second when Ryan Brett clipped a shot against the right-hand post.
The lead was duly doubled just after the quarter hour mark when Brett latched on to a poor clearance from keeper Irish and squared it to Matthew Wright who hooked it home at the far post.The tie may have slipped away from Taunton had they not made an immediate response. But they clawed themselves back into contention when Jordan Rogers wriggled clear down the left, drew Martin Rice, and beat the veteran shot-stopper with a delightful clip into the far corner from a narrowing angle.
From that point on, the Peacocks were the better side. They almost equalised on the half hour when a crisp move released Jamie Price on the right, but the captain drilled his powerful shot wide. The domination continued at the start of the second period with the massed ranks on the terrace at the Town End witnessing at close quarters a bizarre sequence of six home corners in barely as many minutes. From them, Owen Irish came closest to netting, his pile-driving shot somehow being beaten out by the Truro defence.
Taunton ramped up the pressure still further as the half progressed. After 66 minutes, Rogers again breached the Cornish back line, but was denied by a great low save from Rice. A minute later Jamie Short and Owen Irish linked up in a clever passing move down the right, the latter teeing up Craig Veal who spun and smashed a ferocious volley that Rice just tipped over. The keeper finally succumbed from Dale Evans’s resultant corner though, the ball finding its way to Rogers at the far post. He got a hand to the striker’s fine shot, but not enough to keep it out.
Both sides had chances in the final stages, the best falling to Truro’s Isaac Vassell who fired wastefully over. The substitute striker further compounded his ignominy by following through high and late on Lloyd Irish a few minutes later to receive a caution. Then, in injury-time, Vassell impeded Irish taking a kick to pick up his second booking and consequent red card. A somewhat silly and surreal end to an otherwise brilliant cup tie.
By James Wright
Taunton: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Price (captain), Nuno Felix, Owen Irish, Jak Martin, Dale Evans, Jamie Short (Aidan Chainey 90+1), Ben Carter, Jordan Rogers, Craig Veal (Josh Klein-Davies 77), Josh Searle (Ryan Broom 61). Unused subs: Charlie Hitchings, Michael Meaker
Truro: Martin Rice, Pierce Mitchell, Connor Riley-Lowe, Jake Ash (captain), Jamie Richards, Arran Pugh, Aaron Dawson, Dan Green, Craig Duff (Les Afful 68), Matt Wright, Ryan Brett (Isaac Vassell 67). Unused subs: Shane White, Rob Farkins
Referee: Sam Allison (Trowbridge)
Assistants: Adam Fricker (Bath), Benjamin Williamson (Melksham)
Match Sponsor: Talk of the Devil
Matchball Sponsor: Friends of the late Ray Marks
Attendance: 481

Dartford 0 Truro City 1

City clinched their first away National League South win of the season thanks to a late goal from substitute Isaac Vassell.
Vassell was in the right place at the right time at Princes Park in Kent to tuck away a cross from another substitute Les Afful.
And the win, which lifted City two places up the table to 14th, extended their unbeaten run to four matches since that 6-0 Bank Holiday Monday hammering at home to Oxford City.

16 photos

Match photos

And City boss Steve Tully was delighted with his side's performance.
He said: "It was our most complete performance of the season. All over the pitch we were good and could have won by more, but Ricey made a great save at the death to ensure we got the points."
With Rob Farkins and Pierce Mitchell unavailable, there was a recall for Jake Ash who had a great game in front of the back four.
That was the only change from the side that drew 2-2 at Weston-super-Mare in the week, though Truro suffered an early blow when Cody Cooke had to go off with a groin problem to be replaced by Ryan Brett who went onto have an excellent match.
After a relatively quiet opening 45 minutes, with City looking comfortable, the visitors started to create more after the break.
Man of the match Matt Wright, who went close in the first half, headed against the bar and had another cleared off the line.
Truro though were not be denied a famous win as they continue to come to terms with life at a higher level after winning promotion last season.
Truro City: Rice; White, Richards, Pugh, Riley-Lowe; Ash; Green, Cooke (Brett 21), Dawson, Wright (Afful 83), Duff (Vassell 64) . Sub (not used): Yeoman.
Goal: Vassell (86) 0-1.
Man of the match for Truro Matt Wright
Referee: Matthew Buonassisi.
Crowd: 850.

(by Rhod Mitchell, West Briton)