Oxford City 1 Truro City 2

Truro City secured all three points with a comfortable victory against Oxford City, in a crucial encounter involving two teams vying for a play-off place. Two early goals from Isaac Vassell and Matthew Wright were enough to see off the hosts, despite Marlon Jackson halving the deficit a minute shy of half-time. Oxford City huffed and puffed in the second half without too much of an impact, as Truro produced a defensively sound display to secure the win.
Truro set their stall out right from the off, with Wright forcing home goalkeeper, Lawrie Walker, into a save in the first minute of the tie. With that early sign of intent clear to see, it was no surprise the visitors opened the scoring with only eight minutes on the clock. The hosts looked all over the place as they tried to defend a corner from Ollie Knowles, as they allowed Jamie Richards to head the ball back across goal at the far post. The ball fell at the feet of Vassell, who found the net from within the six-yard box.
There was obviously a deficiency in Oxford City’s game that Truro were keen to exploit, as they scored a second in the 14th minute from another corner. Walker failed to deal with a delivery from Ryan Brett, which allowed Wright the freedom to head home at the near post. At this stage it was all too easy for Truro, as they raced into a two-goal lead by taking advantage of some poor set-piece defending.
Oxford City knew that they would have to find a goal soon, with Truro looking very assured in terms of their own play. A shot from distance by Kynan Isaac, and a wild effort from Jackson was all the home side had to show from a lacklustre first half-hour. Truro were a much more dangerous proposition when they bore down on goal, as Vassell shot wide of the near post and Wright headed over from a cross. Vassell then missed a gilt-edged chance after the lively forward somehow put an effort from close range over the crossbar, following a good knock-down header from a Knowles free-kick.
The final few minutes of the first half produced a dramatic finale, as both sides looked to turn the tie in their favour. Isaac showed glimpses of what he is capable of when he narrowly whistled a shot over the bar from the edge of the box, as Oxford City inched closer to finding a way back into the contest. Truro were still on the hunt for a third though, and they almost gained their reward after a good passage of play set up Ryan Brett at the near post. He found himself rather advanced from his central midfield role to meet a low cross from Vassell, but the ball squirmed behind after he was put under pressure.
With the hosts gradually finding their feet in an attacking sense as the half wore on, they pulled one back a minute before the break. Truro were still in control of the match, but Oxford City produced an excellent move worthy of a goal to set up an intriguing second half. Conor McDonagh won the ball in the centre of the park, before he spread the ball out to Paul Stonehouse on the left wing. Stonehouse advanced with the ball which allowed McDonagh to race forward to find some space within the area. This enabled Stonehouse to play a return ball to McDonagh, and he forced Truro keeper, Martin Rice, to parry the ball away. Unluckily for Rice though, Jackson was there at the far post to sneak the ball in to give his side hope going into the interval.
The hosts started the second half brightly as they persued an equaliser. McDonagh was involved again as he shot just wide of the post from inside the box. That was his last effort of the game however, with the forward going off early in the period seemingly through injury.
Cody Cooke was a constant threat for Truro in the second half, and he produced a couple of opportunities early on. He shot wide first of all, before then forcing Walker to parry another effort wide after he latched onto a flick-on.
Oxford City continued to push for a leveller, but were often thwarted by a stubborn Truro rearguard. Matty Whichelow came on for McDonagh, and was able to pull the strings more for his side in midfield. He played a fine ball over the top for Isaac, but Richards was there to execute a great tackle to force his effort behind for a corner. This was to be a running theme as the Truro players smothered Oxford’s chances on several occasions. As a centre-half pairing, Richards and Arran Pugh were particularly solid at the back and made it difficult for hosts to break through.
Cooke kept pushing on for Truro’s cause, as they looked to kill the game off, by nearly adding to the scoreline twice in the latter stages. He initially worried Walker with a stinging shot from the edge of the area, but the keeper grasped hold of the ball at the second attempt. Then, he looped a header over the bar from a Brett corner. With eight minutes to go, Cooke turned provider when he gained control of a loose pass to set up Vassell, but he could not add a second to his tally, as he was denied at the near post by Walker.
In truth, Oxford City never really looked like scoring despite their best intentions. The result means they remain a place below the final play-off berth, missing a chance to overtake Maidenhead United. Truro stabilised their play-off dreams to end the game in 4th, and look strong contenders to be there for the run in at the end of the season.
Oxford City: Walker, Bevans, Stonehouse, Fleet, King, Santiago, Jackson, Pond (Lafuente 78), Benjamin (Lapoujade 28), McDonagh (Whichelow 53), Isaac
Truro City: Rice, Dawson, Riley-Lowe, Brett, Richards, Pugh, Knowles, Green, Wright (Jay 55), Vassell (Afful 84), Cooke (Adelsbury 89)
Attendance: 235
Report by James Hunt
http://nonleaguefanzone.com/2016/03/31/oxford-city-1-truro-city-2-national-league-south-30032016/

Truro City 0 Sutton United 2

Play-off chasing City's long unbeaten home record of 14 matches and dating back until the end of August, was ended, as they went down to an accomplished Sutton side, who are still in with a big chance of taking the National League South title.
A first half goal from Ross Stearn and a late effort by Tom Bolarinwa were enough to condemn City to their first defeat since losing 6-0 to Oxford City, who they travel to play on Easter Monday, on August 31.
And on the day the Surrey side in the wind and rain were the better team, especially in the first half.

But despite the setback, City are still strongly placed to win a play-off place.with other results going their way as both Oxford and Gosport Borough lost, and they are still fourth in the table with games in hand on their rivals.
City boss Steve Tully made three changes for the match, with Shane White, Matty Jay and Matt Wright starting in place of Aaron Dawson, Cody Cooke and Isaac Vassell.
But in the first half City, never got going, as Sutton were in control for long periods.
A slip by Jamie Richards nearly let in Jamie Slabber whose effort was cleared for a corner by the legs of Martin Rice, while Dan Wishart shot over.
But it was from a Truro corner after 26 minutes that Sutton took the lead when they broke quickly through Bolarinwa, with City appealing in vain for an earlier handball, and Ross Stearn headed home from point blank range after the ball had come back off the bar from Nick Bailey's shot.
Martin Rice did well to deny Craig Dundas as Truro were glad to go in just 1-0 down at half time.
At half time Tully brought on Cody Cooke for Craig Duff and top scorer Isaac Vassell soon followed in place of Wright.
And Vassell soon had City's first shot on target after 51 minutes following a good run, while Jay shot just over with Dan Green shooting into the side netting
City continued to press. without looking too threatening and were caught out seven minutes from time when they over committed forward and Sutton broke quickly with Bolarinwa racing through to plant the ball past the helpless Rice.
City will now need to regroup for the Oxford game - the first of nine big games which will determine their play-off ambitions.
CITY: Rice; White, Pugh, Richards, Riley-Lowe; Knowles, Adelsbury (Afful 70), Green, Duff (Cooke h-t), Wright (Vassell 50), Jay.
Subs (not used): Brett, Dawson.
SUTTON UTD: Worner; Amankwaah, Wishart, Beckwith, Bailey, John, Bolarinwa (Cooper 84), Gomis, Dundas, Slabber (Fitchett 88), Stearn (Collins 75).
Subs (not used): Spence Gerrar.
Scorers: Stearn (27) 0-1, Bolarinwa (83) 0-2.
Referee: Savvas Yianni.
Half time: 0-1
Crowd: 613

Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Truro-City-s-long-unbeaten-home-record-ended/story-28998569-detail/story.html#ixzz446lzEQ00

TISA Statement - Treyew Road

It is with a sense of great relief that TISA welcomes today's news that Truro City will continue to play its football at Treyew Road next season.  From the moment it was announced that a deal had been done to ground share with Torquay United and in particular because of the delays over planning consent for Treyew Road and Silver Bow, TISA called for JIL, Helical and Truro City owner Peter Masters to get together and thrash out an extension to the lease at Treyew Road.

 

TISA were told this was not a "practical" solution.  Indeed many accused us of deliberately rocking the boat and seeking to destabilise the club.  So it is with great pride that today I can thank TISA members and the many people that backed our "Keep Truro in Cornwall" campaign including local MPs and Councillors.

 

If ever there was a day to recognise that there is place in football for independent fans groups who are free to campaign and speak freely, then this is that day.  We congratulate all concerned in coming to this common sense decision.

Maidenhead United 0, Truro City 0

Maidenhead United will be frustrated they failed to take their chances against their fourth-placed visitors from Cornwall, who were reduced to 10-men when Craig Duff was sent off early in the second half.  
United, who have moved to within four points of the play-offs, laid siege to the Truro goal in the final half hour, but they were kept at bay by City’s glovesman Martin Rice, who made a string of fine saves.
Rice, the undoubted man-of-the-match, pushed a low volley from Dave Tarpey onto the post in the 14^th minute, and denied the Maidenhead front man on several other occasions in the second half.
Tarpey, who fired in all four of United’s goals in a 4-4 draw when the sides played in January, saw a firm header from Josh Huggins’ deep cross pawed out by Rice in the 67^th minute.
The game’s golden chance also fell Tarpey’s way when he found himself clean through with seven minutes to play, but Rice managed to get a little nick on his left-footed shot to deflect it wide of the post.
The chances mounted up for the Magpies in the second half as Rene Steer, Huggins and Ben Wright all went close after Duff collected his second yellow card in the 55^th minute for leading with his elbow in an aerial challenge with Ryan Upward.
Minutes after Duff’s dismissal, Huggins worked the ball well down the left and fired a firm shot that was beaten away by Rice, after the Magpies’ full-back played a neat one-two with Wright.
Left-back Rene Steer was the next Magpies’ player to chance his arm, this time with a dipping 30-yard effort that brushed Rice’s crossbar after Truro only partially cleared their lines in the 62^nd minute.
Alan Devonshire brought on Jake Reid for Huggins as United went all out for the win against the 10-men, but they were repelled at every turn by City’s resilient defence and their unbeatable keeper.
Wright’s low shot from the edge of the box was gathered in close to his near post by Rice in the 65^th minute, and the burly Maidenhead striker sent another left-footed effort looping just over after a knock-down from Reid.
Kieron Forbes, a long-term injury absentee for the Magpies, was thrust into the fray as the game entered its final stages, and it was his low shot that deflected into Tarpey’s path for the game’s best chance.
The United striker was quick to seize upon the opportunity, but Rice was out quickly and managed to touch his shot wide of the post, leaving the Magpies supporters, banked up behind the Bell Street End goal, with their heads in their hands.
United, compact and resolute throughout, with Mark Nisbet stepping in for the suspended Alan Massey, restricted their visitors to very few opportunities. The best of them came in the opening minutes of the first half and the closing stages of the second.
Ollie Knowles almost caught out Carl Pentney with a bending free-kick in the third minute, but it flashed wide of the goal, and then with four minutes to play the 10-men almost snatched what would have been an undeserved winner when Jamie Richards headed Knowles’ corner just wide.
The final whistle came a bit too soon for the Magpies who will feel they should have taken one of their second half chances and gained more ground on the top five. However, results elsewhere went their way and they’ve risen to seventh in the table, and four points off a play-off position. City remain in fourth-place and will have been mightily relieved to have escaped York Road with a point.
Attendance: 517
Maidenhead United: Pentney, Huggins (Reid 76), Steer, Upward, Nisbet, Inman, Mulley (c) (Forbes 82), Comley, Tarpey, Wright, Pritchard. Subs not used: Barratt, Smith, Wiltshire.
Truro City: Rice, Dawson, Riley-Lowe, Adelsbury, (Jay 64), Richards, Pugh (c), Knowles, Green, Duff, Vassell (Afful 70), Cooke. Subs not used: Ash, White, Brett.

Truro City 3 Bath City 1

A controversial penalty just past the hour mark turned Bath City's evening in Cornwall on its head.
Shane White's spot-kick proved the vital ingredient as Truro built in confidence to claim a win their second half performance perhaps deserved.
Truro almost made the ideal start when inside a minute Isaac Vassell latched on to a long ball over the top, got the better of Andy Gallinagh and shot too close to Steve Phillips.        

Soon after, Gary Owers' men, culpable for letting in a number of early goals this season, struck with one of their own.
Danny Greenslade's pass down the left was picked up by the returning Eliot Richards.
He showed more desire to beat Aaron Pugh to the ball before firing it across from the byline to the onrushing Dave Pratt, who headed in from a yard out to give the visitors a seventh-minute lead.
It clearly rattled the home side with Phillips rarely troubled, only notably called upon to gather Ollie Knowles' free-kick.
City's pressing game nullified several attacks, Dan Ball in particular impressing in defence, and they could have nicked a second just before the interval when Richards' shot on the turn was just collected by Martin Rice at the second attempt.
The second half saw Truro forced into a change early on when Aaron Bentley clattered into an advertising hoarding under pressure from Liam Kelly, with Jamie Richards taking his place.
City also introduced Tyler Harvey for his debut, in place of Richards, before the penalty decision on 61 minutes swung the game in the home side's favour.
Vassell chased Connor Riley-Lowe's header forward and, when going wide of goal, went to ground as Phillips dived to palm away the danger.
Referee Hulme decided he had connected with the man first and, amidst several protests, awarded a penalty.
White confidently scored, despite having missed from the spot at Twerton, and in the aftermath the City stopper was booked for petulantly tripping Dan Green during the celebrations.
It looked like a sixth 1-1 draw in eight games for Owers, but instead he was left further frustrated as his side fell behind on 80 minutes.
Chas Hemmings was cautioned for a strong challenge on Knowles on the halfway line. Rice's long free-kick was headed back by Pugh to substitute Les Afful who, despite not getting the desired connection on the shot, had the direction to beat Phillips.
It was the 8,000th goal City had conceded in all competitions since formation and one which soon after earned a ticking off for Owers from referee Hulme for his protests regarding the initial free-kick.
The Romans' only real opening of the second half fell to substitute Harvey. Racing onto Dan Bowman's intelligent through ball, the forward lost his composure and blazed wide with just Rice to beat.
Truro closed the game out brilliantly, penning City back, and added to their tally with a third goal moments before the final whistle.
Knowles' corner was headed out by Gallinagh but collected by Afful on the edge of the box, who this time hit a sweet strike that zipped past Phillips.
The City boss was left enraged at the end by a few decisions, not quite in the same league as the watching outspoken Rotherham boss Neil Warnock, but the City chief will take some consolation from the first half showing and hope his side build on it in a bid to beat the drop.

Truro City: Rice, White, Riley-Lowe, Brett (Afful 58), Bentley (Richards 53), Pugh, Cooke, Knowles, Green, Duff (Jay 71), Vassell. Subs not used: Ash, Dawson.
Bath City: Phillips, Bowman, Greenslade, Gallinagh, Ball, Hemmings, Kington (Simpson 74), Kelly, Murphy, Pratt, Richards (Harvey 54). Subs not used: Williams and Hutchinson.
Referee: Richard Hulme.
Attendance: 472.


Read more: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Truro-City-3-Bath-City-1-Contentious-penalty/story-28935645-detail/story.html#ixzz435b5SSy2

Hemel Hempstead 2 Truro City 1

City slipped to only their second National League South defeat in 23 games as they were beaten at Hemel Hempstead to bring their ten match unbeaten run to an end.
But with their rivals Dartford and Gosport Borough also losing they remain in the fifth and final play-off place on a day when victory would have lifted them to fourth.
And City boss Steve Tully was not too despondent.

He said: "It was just one of those days. We had too many key players not at their best today.
"I think we had 90 per cent of the possession but we got what we deserved. It had to happen sooner and later and now we have to go on another run. Results have gone with us so we stay where we are.
"We are going to get lots of different puzzles to solve between now and the end of the season and we could not solve it today. They set up 4-5-1 and got bodies behind the ball. We had a good spell either side of half time and had some half chances.
"Mattt Jay, who had a good game, had a great chance near the end but could not get his shot away."
City were unchanged for the third game running, but began badly as the home took an early lead after 13 minutes with Hemel debutant Ricky Wellard putting Graeme Montgomery through and he finished well past Martin Rice to put The Tudors 1-0 up.
Rice then had to tip over a Nikolay Todorov effort as Hemel pressed forward.

But as the first half progressed City got into the match and put the home side under pressure forcing them to defend.
And the pressure finally paid off just before the interval when Shane White netted.
City had a let off at the start of the second half when Nikolay Todorov hit the woodwork with James Potton's follow up effort blocked before City managed to clear the danger.
But the home side regained the lead 14 minutes from time when a shot by substitute Ibra Sekajja was blocked and Montgomery was on on hand to head in the rebound and hard though City tried they were unable to find an equaliser.
They are next in action at home to Bath City on Tuesday evening
.
Hemel Hempstead Town: Butler; Herd (capt),Kelly, Bailey-Dennis, Thorne, Hickford, Wellard, Richens, Todorov, Potton, Montgomery.
Subs: Mitchel-King, Sekajja, Parrott, Fitzgerald, Spring
Truro City: Rice; White, Pugh (capt), Bentley, Riley-Lowe; Knowles, Green, Cooke, Brett, Vassell, Jay.
Subs: Ash, Duff, Dawson, Duff, Adelsbury.
Goals: Montgomery (13) 1-0, White (44) 1-1, Montgomery (76) 2-1.
Crowd: 563.


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Hemel-Hempstead-Town-v-Truro-City/story-28910186-detail/story.html#ixzz42tVllHdu

Truro City 1 Chelmsford City 0

See video of highlights here:
http://www.chelmsfordcityfc.com/videos/truro-city-1-vs-0-chelmsford-city-extended-highlig-79138.html

TISA Statement on Torquay Ground Share and Silver Bow

TISA notes the recent statement made by TCFC informing us that the club has finalised an agreement to ground share with Torquay United at Plainmoor for season 2016/17.  Whilst we welcome finally having some clarity as to where we will be playing our home games next season, we remain concerned that the agreement is for only one year and with full planning consent outstanding on Treyew Road and Silver Bow and no certainty over when or even if we will ever move to Silver Bow, that still leaves the football club potentially homeless at the end of next season. 

In light of our concerns above we therefore call upon Chairman and Co-owner Peter Masters to answer the following questions:

 

1.       Why was the ground share agreement limited to one year only?

2.       What specifically is causing the delays in getting full planning consent to both Treyew Road and Silver Bow?

3.       What is the contingency plan in the event that Silver Bow is not ready for occupation at the end of next season as seems likely?

4.       How much longer are Helical Retail funding the day-to-day running of the club and (given that any gate receipts from our time at Plainmoor would likely not even cover the rental costs, let alone the full running costs of the club) how are you planning on funding the club going forward?

5.       What are the conditions under which the debt you and the co-owner have put into the club in the form of Director’s loans (which is understood to be approximately £750K) are repaid to you by Helical Retail or otherwise written off?

6.       Outside of the ground share agreement with Torquay United, do you or any other Directors of TCFC have any direct business relationship with Torquay United Football Club or Plainmoor Ltd or made any investment into either company? Do you or any other Directors of TCFC have any plans to further develop a business relationship with either company?

 

Furthermore and whilst we may now have to accept that we are moving to Torquay, come what may, next season, we certainly do not accept that sufficient effort has been put in over the last 18 months to properly explore any opportunities to ground share in Cornwall.  Of course we recognise that this would not be possible without significant funding of a 'Cornish' solution and we equally recognise the ridiculous scenario that the club currently finds itself in, having to pay out approximately £100K for infrastructure at Treyew Road, only to knock it all down a few weeks later when we vacate the ground for ever.  This money could have contributed towards a 'Cornish' solution which would have benefited both Truro City and its fans by keeping the club playing in Cornwall and also benefited the club in Cornwall whose ground we would have shared.  Surely this would have improved Truro City's standing in the community and help attract further sponsorship and funding.

 

Finally, TISA reiterates its statements made on December 21st and November 16th  2015 where we called for Mr Masters to keep his word and leave a legacy for the city of Truro and its football club supporters by placing the playing surface at Silver Bow into a properly governed Supporters Trust to  protect it for future generations.  We note the interview he gave on BBC Radio Cornwall recently (01/03/2016) when he said he would "leave a legacy" and we therefore call upon him to detail what this legacy will be and how it will be delivered.

  

Simon Birch – Truro Independent Supporters Association (TISA) Secretary