29 November 2015

Kingstonian 0 Truro City 3 (FA Trophy)

On a couple of occasions in the past five years or so, the Conference South has seemed within touching distance of K’s reach. At an excitable Kingsmeadow on Saturday, it has never felt so far away. Truro, 12 games unbeaten in the southern section of the sixth tier of English football, proved not only a division away but a class apart from Tommy Williams’s men.

 

An old-fashioned romp against Leatherhead and a couple of lusty bites of Dorchester’s cherry had taken Kingstonian to the third qualifying round of this year’s Football Association Challenge Trophy, a stage last reached in peak Dowson-era K’s.
On that occasion, Brentwood were overcome at the second time of asking. The much-mooted opportunity to follow K’s to deepest, darkest Cornwall for a similar midweek replay never looked likely from the moment Dan Green lashed in from close range with nine minutes played.
The defending for that goal was barely Ryman worthy, let alone good enough against Vanarama opposition, and things didn’t get much better midway through the half when the visitors doubled their tally. Cody Cooke was allowed far too much time and space to take a potshot from distance, and though Rob Tolfrey parried, the loose ball dropped to the unmarked Matt Wright who finished with ease.
On a day when K’s players needed to be at their best to give us any chance of getting a result it was a pity many fell short of what they are capable of. Little went right in attack. Hard-won set-pieces were underhit. Tricks and skills didn’t come off. And when Reece Beccles raced clear with the interval in sight, Martin ‘flag’s up’ Rice stood tall and saved.
K’s huffed and puffed in the second half but those efforts which hit the target were tame. The rest went high or wide. At the other end, Truro whacked the final nail into our red-and-white coffin seven minutes from time. A passing move, a neat through ball, a clinical finish. Truro, functional fit diligent disciplined Truro, were too good. No shame in that for K’s, however, and with our interest in the two main cups now over the focus turns to the Ryman play-off push, and of course a continued run in the Turvey.

 

Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Aaron Goode, George Wells, Lee O'Leary, Bruce Hogg, Alan Inns, Dan Bennett, Harold Odametey, Reece Beckles, Pelayo Pico Gomez, Malachi Hudson.
Subs: Sam Page (for Bruce Hogg, 59m), Tyron Smith, Ricky Sappleton (for Malachi Hudson, 63m), Brendan Muirphy-McVey (for Reece Beckles, 80m), Filippo di Bonito.
Truro City: Martin Rice, Shane White, Connor Riley-Lowe, Jake Ash, Jamie Richards, Arran Pugh, Ollie Knowles, Dan Green, Matt Wright, Ryan Brett, Cody Cooke.
Subs:: Craig Duff, Isaac Vassell (for Cody Cooke, 66m), Pierce Mitchell, Les Afful (for Arran Pugh, HT), Danny Barrow (for Ryan Brett, 50m).
Goalscorers: Dan Green (9m, 0-1), Matt Wright (26m, 0-2), Isaac Vassell (83m, 0-3)
Attendance: 316
http://www.kingstonian.com/news/truro-city-match-report-1533427.html

23 November 2015

Hayes & Yeading 2 Truro City 2

Manager Garry Haylock was forced into changes from last weeks’ starting line-up as illness and injury deprived him of the services of Adam Bygrave, Jim Fenlon and Cole Brown, this meant he gave debuts to new arrivals Omari Alexander-Salmon and loanee Matt Jay, plus a first start for youth team player Colin Mugoya.
Chances early on in the game saw Dan Lincoln comfortably collect a shot on the turn from Craig Duff while at the other end Matt Jay broke clear of the defence but his effort was blocked by Martin Rice in the Truro goal and when the ball was returned into the box it was Jay again who took possession, this time his shot being deflected wide.

A deflection at the other end saw Cody Cooke’s effort go wide of the post before Lincoln again denied Duff, this time the United stopper palming away the strikers header as he ran on to a Cooke centre.

Midway through the half debutant Omari Alexander-Salmon, in his first game at senior level, took possession from Josh Scott’s pass and rifled a 20 yard shot that went inches wide of the target after a defender got a slight touch as the ball arrowed towards goal. He did however only have to wait three minutes before hitting a debut goal as he rose in the centre of the six yard box to powerfully head a Benyon cross past Rice (photo right).

Just over ten minutes later it was debutant goal number two, this time for Exeter City’s Matt Jay who having collected the ball on the left corner of the City box, turned his marker and drilled the ball low across Rice into the far corner (below left).

Josh Scott then headed a Mason Spence centre wide before two fine Lincoln stops denied Truro a first half
reply. A Cooke cross from the left to the far post was volleyed coolly back into the centre by Matt Wright with the arriving Duff seeing his header blocked away at point blank range by the United ‘keeper. Within a minute the ball was back in the danger zone as Cooke drilled the ball across the six yard box with Devante McKain clearing sharply from virtually on his own goal-line.
United were to be put under a lot of pressure in the second half and appeared to tire towards the end of the game as City hit back to take their unbeaten record to 11 with a last gasp equaliser.

The half actually started quite slowly, Scott having the first goalbound effort that Rice swept up easily on 54 minutes. As we crossed the hour mark the United defence were put under a lot of pressure but Lincoln was again in fine form. A cross from the right was allowed to bounce in the area, Wright trying an acrobatic effort that looked destined to hit the net but for a superb push out by Lincoln. Minutes later he was again needed as Cooke broke into the box only to be denied by Lincoln who pushed the ball away for a corner. The flag kick dropped inside the six yard box but was hacked away off the line by the well positioned Mason Spence.

Seventeen minutes remained on referee Serrano’s watch when the visitors finally broke United’s resistance as substitute Les Afful collected the ball on the right corner of the box and fired low past Lincoln in a goal similar to United’s from Matt Jay.

Both custodian’s were required to tip efforts over as first Rice did well to deny Elliot Benyon and then minutes later Lincoln needed his finger tips to deny Ollie Knowles whose free-kick deflected off the wall and was heading into the United net.

United finally succumbed to the City attack again with just a minute of normal time remaining, a free-kick from substitute Danny Barrow being inadvertently helped on by Spence before being met powerfully by the head of on-coming Truro skipper Ryan Ash who gave Lincoln no chance as his header found the top corner.

United did have a late chance in stoppage time to snatch the winner but Devante McKain’s header from Spence’s corner struck a defender on the line before being cleared and it was a share of the spoils but a much improved display, against last week, from Garry Haylock’s side.


Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

http://www.hyufc.com/teams/1516reports/Truro_home.htm

18 November 2015

Truro City 2 Basingstoke 0

CITY moved into the play-off places in National League South as they stretched their unbeaten league run to ten games with victory over bottom club Basingstoke.
Goals from Conor Riley-Lowe in the first half and a late Cody Cooke header were enough to give City the points against the Hampshire side whose performance belied their struggles in the league this season.
 
It is the Cornish club's highest ever league position and a remarkable rise up the table since a difficult start to the season after winning promotion.

On a windy night at Treyew Road the game was never going to be a classic.
With the wind at their backs in the first half, City had most of the play but did not really create enough openings.
However, they did take the lead after 20 minutes when Riley-Lowe finished superbly with a left footed strike into the far corner after some good approach play.
But until Ryan Brett forced Basingstoke keeper Aaron Howe into fine stop right on half time and then headed just wide from the subsequent corner, the home side did not really threaten.
Promoted by Sainsbury's
After the interval Basingstoke looked increasingly dangerous. forcing City back, though without seriously testing Martin Rice in the home goal, as the home defence stayed resolute.
And with two minutes left, substitute Isaac Vassell provided the cross from the right for Cooke to head home from close range to make sure of the points, just after man of the match Ollie Knowles had struck the woodwork with a long range free kick.
 
 
TRURO CITY: Rice; Mitchell, Pugh, Richards, Riley-Lowe, Green, Knowles, Brett, Cooke, Duff (Vassell 61), Wright (Afful 90). Subs (not used): Ash, Barrow, White.
Yellow cards: Pugh. Mitchell, Green,
BASINGSTOKE TOWN: Howe; Rice, Bird, Harper, Casson, Ray, Smart, Dunn, Enver-Marum, Flood, Sole (Macklin 68). Subs (not used): Soares, Gilkes, Williams, Salmon.
Yellow card: Macklin.
Goals: Riley-Lowe (20) 1-0, Cooke (88) 2-0.
Referee: Chris O'Donnell (Milton Keynes).
Crowd: 285.


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Truro-City-v-Basingstoke-Town/story-28192698-detail/story.html#ixzz3rpkVNyTY

16 November 2015

Statement on Silver Bow


Further to our statement of November 13 welcoming the news that Silver Bow has been given the go ahead, Truro Independent Supporters Association (TISA) reiterates its wish to see the playing surface of Silver Bow put into the ownership of a Supporters Trust.   
The current owners of TCFC know only too well the trauma that occurs when a football club has its ground sold from underneath them, having successfully cleared up the mess left by the previous regime and in so doing saving TCFC from certain collapse. 
TISA understands that Truro City 2012 is a business and recognises the right of its owners to protect its investments and generate profit, however, football club owners come and go and can only by temporary custodians of the football club for its fans who remain the only constant.  TISA does not believe that any businessman should enter into football club ownership purely to make financial gain and indeed very few do. 
The ongoing financial injection of Helical Retail Ltd as future developers of Treyew Road  including a full or part repayment of the Directors loans made to the club by its current owners have paved the way for those owners to make a significant profit when they implement their "Exit Strategy", but TISA calls on them to curtail their profits and leave a legacy for the City of Truro and the supporters of its football club by agreeing to place the playing surface of the new ground at Silver Bow into a Supporters Trust to be formed of long standing Truro City fans and not those tainted by their collusion with the last regime when 'Trustees' handed over the rights of Treyew Road to the formers owners of TCFC and in so doing trigger the traumatic events that followed.


Simon Birch - TISA Secretary

09 November 2015

Chelmsford City 1 Truro City 2

The Clarets were their own worst enemies as they lost 2-1 at Melbourne Park to Truro City on Saturday afternoon in the Vanarama National League South.
Young attacker Hugo Skepelhorn got the hosts off to a great start after just five minutes, following up his own saved shot on five minutes to slot home. It was the Clarets' first league goal in three games.
 
However, from then on in the first half Chelmsford were sloppy in possession. Truro levelled on 21 minutes with a curling free-kick from Jamie Reid. They then took the lead with Ryan Brett sliding a shot between Clarets goalkeeper Christian Dibble's legs eight minutes later.
Although the hosts improved in the second half and Truro skipper Arran Pugh received a red card with minutes to go, they could not find the leveller their play merited.
Chelmsford were welcoming a team in form in Truro, who despite their 12th-place position in the table have not lost a league match since August during which they started the season poorly.
The Clarets needed to get their form back on track, with just the one win in the league in their last five matches.
The two teams have a close bond, with the Clarets attempting to help fund-raising efforts in 2012 after Truro went into administration. While the visitors from 668 miles away ultimately could not raise enough money to remain in the Football Conference, they have bounced back and the two sides have retained their strong relationship.
Saturday brought Mark Hughes' 100th game for the Clarets since joining two years ago. New signings Michael Thalassitis and Ben Marlow, both former Bishop's Stortford players, came straight into the starting XI, with Luke Daley, Bagasan Graham and Harry Morgan all dropping to the bench after last weekend's defeat at Bath City.
The Clarets started brightly. A great header from Rory McAuley cannoned back off the crossbar from a deep Matt Whichelow free-kick, but the assistant had his flag up for offside.
It took just five minutes for the Clarets to open the scoring. Whichelow knocked a ball through to the galloping Skepelhorn. He sped towards goal and while his first effort was parried by Truro goalkeeper Martin Rice, the youngster buried the rebound with a first time shot.
Whichelow was looking bright in the early stages, curling in a low cross from the right which Thalassitis was inches away from getting his toe to in the box.
McCauley then received a yellow card for a late tackle, giving Reid the chance to curl home a delightful free-kick into the left side of the net.
Chances at both ends came on 27 minutes with Craig Duff's header from Connor Riley-Lowe's cross gathered by Dibble before Skepelhorn's sliced cross bounced off the Truro crossbar.
Two minutes later the visitors took the lead when Cody Cooke broke through the middle and played in Brett, who calmly slotted through the goalkeeper's legs.
The hosts were sloppy in possession and one misplaced pass gave Reid the chance to advance and fire off a shot on the turn which Dibble gathered at the second attempt.
Truro went close again just before the break when Arran Pugh headed down a corner to Cooke, who hooked his effort over the crossbar from eight yards.
City had a great chance to level seven minutes into the second half when Marlow broke down the left and sent in a cross which the arriving Skepelhorn headed inches wide of the left post.
On 64 minutes Whichelow sent a low shot at the goalkeeper when Lee Sawyer was free on the left to be played in.
Clarets boss Mark Hawkes decided he had seen enough. He brought on Graham, Daley and Mark Haines for Aiden Palmer, Rob Girdlestone and Sawyer.
City were definitely much better in the second half and Thalassitis sent a low shot towards the bottom right corner which had Rice scrabbling to save.
However, Truro could have made the game safe on 78 minutes, when Cooke was picked out in acres of space in the box, but took an age to strike the ball and when he did it flew well over from seven yards.
The hosts were given added hope on 86 minutes when Pugh saw red for a second yellow card, having received both for late tackles on Skepelhorn. However, they could not find a leveller against the ten men with Hughes going close from three yards out in the final moments.


CHELMSFORD CITY: Dibble, Girdlestone (Haines 68), Palmer (Daley 69), Hughes, Marvin Ekpiteta, McAuley, Marlow, Sawyer (Graham 69), Thalassitis, Whichelow, Skepelhorn. Subs not used: Morgan, Brown.
TRURO CITY: Rice, Mitchell, Riley-Lowe, Brett (White 88), Richards, Pugh, Knowles, Green, Duff (Afful 82), Reid (Vassell 64), Cooke. Subs not used: Wright, Barrow. Att: 636.


Read more: http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/8203-Tale-cities-Chelmsford-lose-Truro/story-28132604-detail/story.html#ixzz3qzafTBUj



Read more: http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/8203-Tale-cities-Chelmsford-lose-Truro/story-28132604-detail/story.html#ixzz3qzaNEQRF

02 November 2015

Truro City 2 v Margate 1

Margate's good away run came to a halt with a 2-1 defeat at Truro City on Saturday afternoon.
Gate had taken seven points from a possible nine in previous three away games in Vanarama National League South but despite a grandstand finish they could not overcome the damage of conceding two goals in eight first-half minutes.
 
In the third meeting between the sides already this season, Kane Wills did pull back a goal Terry Brown's men probably deserved with 13 minutes remaining, but they could not find the second which would have extended their unbeaten away run.
 
Terry Brown. Picture Martin Apps
 
Lewis Taylor (achilles), Jake Goodman (foot), Christian Jolley (ill) and Charlie Allen (suspended) didn't travel to Cornwall while Danny Green and Charlie Wassmer watched the whole game from the bench.
 
The early pressure all came from City and Gate keeper Nikki Bull got down well to stop a fierce drive from Cody Cooke from 18 yards inside two minutes.
 
Arran Pugh saw a header blocked from the resulting corner while at the other end Jamie Taylor curled wide of the far post on six minutes and Ryan Moss should have done better than sidefoot tamely at Tom McHale soon after.
 
There were more heroics from Bull diving to his left to tip out a scrambled Pugh effort from no more than six yards out, with Ollie Knowles lashing the rebound over the bar and towards the monstrous bonfire set to be lit later in the week.
 
Margate were more than holding their own but the breakthrough game on 23 minutes when the impressive Dan Green broke down the right and pulled back for the unmarked Cooke to side-foot inside the far post with Bull helpless.
 
The game looked all but up just eight minutes later when Margate's defence went to pieces after another good ball into the box from Green.
 
After pinball in the area the ball broke to Duff who's initial effort was blocked by Wilson, only for the striker to slide to prod past Bull at the second time of asking.
 
There were however furious appeals for a Gate penalty after Freddie Ladapo glided into the box after some neat passing from the visitors, however the frontman couldn't get the ball into position to shoot from 12 yards and his tumble under pressure looked just a bit late to convince referee Gary Parsons.
 
Margate looked the better side after the break but with very little in the way of action in the final third until the dying minutes.
 
Moss sent a shot straight at McHale after a neat turn and Nathan Green's prodded free-kick from 25 yards on 56 minutes was flapped aside at the second attempt by the keeper, but otherwise the game was played-out in the middle of the park.
 
At the other end Bull kept Gate hopes alive with a smothering save to deny sub Isaac Vassell who had been played through after some suspect defending while the tireless Ladapo enjoyed no success despite chasing umpteen balls down the channels and to the byline.
 
Wills gave the visitors hope with 13 minutes remaining when his angled drive from the right of the box found the far top corner, though Vassell jinked through from the restart and only Bull prevented it becoming 3-1.
 
Gate pressed forward in the closing stages and Wills again tested McHale from distance while Moss saw a 20-yard lob caught under the bar by the keeper but they could not find an equaliser before embarking on their longest return journey of the season.
 
Truro: McHale, Mitchell, White, Ash (Afful 67mins), Richards, Pugh, Knowles, Green, Duff (Vassell 61mins), Reid, Cooke (73mins Barrow). Subs not used: Wright.
 
Margate: Bull, Rents, N Green, Hunt, Wilson, Johnson, Wills, Moore, Ladapo, Moss, J Taylor (Taiwo 67mins). Subs not used: Wassmer, D Green, Cash, Stewart.
Attendance: 418