Cambridge City 4 Truro City 1
Cambridge City finally got back to winning ways as they strolled to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Truro at Bridge Road.
City went into the fixture on the back of a poor run of form that had seen them gain only 5 points during March and with the real possibility of dropping out of the play offs altogether, so this really was a must win for Gary Roberts’ team.
The City boss made two changes at the back with James Brighton suspended and Nick Beasant injured. This meant that Jackson Ramm came in at right back and Will Lawton was recalled to partner Lee Chaffey in the centre of defence.
Elsewhere, Adam Martin was available once again giving a welcome boost to midfield whilst Andrew Phillips was the favoured strike partner alongside Adam Marriott.
On a warm afternoon, City started the match in upbeat fashion, and dominated the early possession. The visitors from Cornwall were struggling to get a foothold in the game, but looked organised and didn’t allow City much scoring opportunities early on.
However, this all changed in the 13th minute when Adam Marriott was played in, and City’s leading scorer beat the offside trap and although he saw his initial shot blocked, the ball fell invitingly for him to slam home the rebound.
Five minutes later, and Marriott could have got a second. Once again he found himself onside, and went for the chip, but was thwarted by Grant Fisher in the Truro goal.
As the match edged past the half hour mark, Josh Dawkin played in Andrew Phillips, and Fisher did well once again to block his effort.
City though did double the score as the match entered first half stoppage time. Josh Beech met an excellent delivery from Phillips to fire low underneath the keeper.
As the second half got underway, City were looking to press home their advantage, but had to wait until 62 minutes for the third that effectively killed the game. Josh Dawkin went on a run and fired a shot that was eventually turned into his own net by the unfortunate Paul Kendall. Dawkin though claimed it, and City were now in a comfortable position.
This was re-enforced when they extended their lead four minutes later. The Truro defence failed to clear their lines and the ball fell invitingly for Will Lawton who fired in a low shot that beat Fisher for City’s fourth of the afternoon.
With the game won, Gary Roberts rang the changes, with Adam Marriott, Andrew Phillips and Ieuan Lewis all being substituted. One of those who were introduced to the game from the bench was Danny Kelly who has returned to the UK following some time in Australia and who re-signed for City on Friday afternoon.
As the match entered its final quarter City took their foot off the gas, and with the changes lost their previous impetus and it was enough for Truro to score what ended up to be nothing more than a consolation. The ball made it’s way out to Dan Green who fired in an effort from an angle that should have been cleared but somehow found its way past Zac Barrett and into the net.
But City saw out the rest of the match with no further alarm, and it was relief all round at the final whistle that the Lilywhites had finally got back to winning ways. With news that Poole and Bideford both lost, City now sit six points clear of the chasing pack and will be looking to cement their play off position further when they visit Corby on Wednesday night.
At 256
Bookings: Kendall and Green.
Truro City 5 Banbury United 0
City cruised to their first win under new player-manager Steve Tully as they swept aside the struggling visitors with the minimum of fuss.
Goals by man of the match Cody Cooke, Monty Berrow, Paul Kendall, Liam Eddy and Jordan Copp eased City to a bloodless three points.
But Tully refused to get carried away with victory over a Banbury side who have now lost their last 11 league and cup games.
“They are a team we should beat every week, but it is a start and the three points will give everyone confidence,” he said.
Tully made two changes from the team that lost 1-0 at Poole Town last week, with Les Afful fit to replace the injured Ben Watson and Joe Broad resuming in midfield, with Jamie Lowry out for family reasons.
City were on top from the start and took the lead after eight minutes, with a totally unmarked Cooke easily tucking away Dan Green’s cross from the right.
And it soon became 2-0 as Torquay United youngster Monty Berrow scored his first City goal, forcing the ball at home at the far post from Les Afful’s cross from the left.
It was all Truro but they did not get their third until just before half time when skipper Kendall headed home a Jordan Copp corner from the right.
The second half followed a similar pattern with City in almost total command. though Grant Fisher did have to make a fine save to deny Adeyinka Talabi a consolation.
The only real surprise was that City only scored two more goals.
Copp made it 4-0 at the start of the second period after Banbury keeper Scott Dutton had parried an Afful shot into his path and substitute Liam Eddy soon added a fifth lobbing the visitors’ No1 for his 11th goal of the season, making him City’s top scorer.
The win lifted City two places up the table to 17th ahead of next Saturday’s trip to promotion -chasing Cambridge City.
City: Fisher; Parcell, Kendall, White, Daw; Green, Brokenshire (Copp 35), Broad (Ash h-t), Afful (Eddy 56), Berrow, Cooke.
Subs (not used): Pugh.
Yellow card: Copp.
Banbury Utd: Dutton; Gray, Mullarkey, Isaac (Whyte 84, Bevis, Obeng, Dias (Tappin 60), Martin (Strafford 73), Fraser, Green, Talabi.
Yellow cards: Bevis, Martin.
Goals: Cook (8) 1-0, Berrow (13) 2-0, Kendall (43) 3-0, Copp (53) 4-0, Eddy (66) 5-0.
Cody climbs high |
City cruised to their first win under new player-manager Steve Tully as they swept aside the struggling visitors with the minimum of fuss.
Goals by man of the match Cody Cooke, Monty Berrow, Paul Kendall, Liam Eddy and Jordan Copp eased City to a bloodless three points.
But Tully refused to get carried away with victory over a Banbury side who have now lost their last 11 league and cup games.
“They are a team we should beat every week, but it is a start and the three points will give everyone confidence,” he said.
Tully made two changes from the team that lost 1-0 at Poole Town last week, with Les Afful fit to replace the injured Ben Watson and Joe Broad resuming in midfield, with Jamie Lowry out for family reasons.
City were on top from the start and took the lead after eight minutes, with a totally unmarked Cooke easily tucking away Dan Green’s cross from the right.
And it soon became 2-0 as Torquay United youngster Monty Berrow scored his first City goal, forcing the ball at home at the far post from Les Afful’s cross from the left.
It was all Truro but they did not get their third until just before half time when skipper Kendall headed home a Jordan Copp corner from the right.
The second half followed a similar pattern with City in almost total command. though Grant Fisher did have to make a fine save to deny Adeyinka Talabi a consolation.
The only real surprise was that City only scored two more goals.
Copp made it 4-0 at the start of the second period after Banbury keeper Scott Dutton had parried an Afful shot into his path and substitute Liam Eddy soon added a fifth lobbing the visitors’ No1 for his 11th goal of the season, making him City’s top scorer.
The win lifted City two places up the table to 17th ahead of next Saturday’s trip to promotion -chasing Cambridge City.
City: Fisher; Parcell, Kendall, White, Daw; Green, Brokenshire (Copp 35), Broad (Ash h-t), Afful (Eddy 56), Berrow, Cooke.
Subs (not used): Pugh.
Yellow card: Copp.
Banbury Utd: Dutton; Gray, Mullarkey, Isaac (Whyte 84, Bevis, Obeng, Dias (Tappin 60), Martin (Strafford 73), Fraser, Green, Talabi.
Yellow cards: Bevis, Martin.
Goals: Cook (8) 1-0, Berrow (13) 2-0, Kendall (43) 3-0, Copp (53) 4-0, Eddy (66) 5-0.