Truro City's unbeaten run to eight games after Welling win

Truro City stretched their unbeaten run to eight games with a comfortable win over 10-man Welling, writes Gareth Davies.

John Askey’s side remain second in the standings on goal difference, locked in a three-way tie for top spot with Weston-Super-Mare and Eastbourne Borough.

The Seagulls occupy first position in the National League South table after a 2-0 win over Somerset rivals Bath City. Sports, who started the day looking down at the rest, suffered a 3-0 reverse at Chippenham Town.

The Bluebirds held City in front of a record crowd at the TCS on Tuesday and they also put four past Welling seven days ago. Eastbourne thrashed Welling in mid-week, scoring the same number of goals despite falling behind early on.

The Wings’ latest Park View Road clash followed a similar pattern with Rod Stringer’s troops breaking the deadlock against City after 23 minutes through Zain Walker’s deflected effort.

But before the interval, Truro had turned the game on its head with goals from Jaze Kabia and Tom Harrison giving the Tinners a 2-1 interval lead.

Welling’s task of trying to arrest their recent slump in form was made even harder just six minutes into the second stanza when captain Dave Winfield was sent off.

The rest of the game saw City look dangerous on the break, trying to add a third, while at the other end, Dan Lavercombe was a virtual spectator throughout.

Truro made three changes from the side which claimed a share of the spoils against Chippenham. Goalscoring hero Billy Palfrey was in from the start alongside Yassine En-Neyah and the fit again Ryan Law, replacing Dan Rooney, Tylor Love-Holmes and Andrew Neal.

City had the first sight of goal when Harrison flicked a Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain long throw skywards, for Tyler Harvey to head just wide. And at the other end, Welling kept their powder dry until the 23rd minute, when Walker’s speculative effort opened the scoring.

The ball fell to the former Bristol Rovers midfielder who shot towards the goal. His effort was set to go well wide until it struck the unfortunate Will Dean, wrongfooted Lavercombe and hit the net.

Falling behind didn’t deter Truro and Palfrey forced a brilliant save from home custodian Daniel Jinadu, making his Welling debut after joining the club yesterday.

However, the former Dover and Chesham stopper was powerless to stop City’s leveller moments later.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s long throw was headed on by Harvey and there was Kabia to power home with his left foot at the back post.

One soon became two for City with Oxlade-Chamberlain heavily involved again. His and Connor Riley-Lowe’s persistence out on the right-hand side saw a cross hung up to the back post which Harrison headed home for his first of the season.

Just before the interval, Winfield was booked for a poor challenge on the first City goal scorer Kabia. It was a caution that would prove decisive as just after the turnaround, Winfield once more upended Kabia and referee Ayrton Hursey was left with no option but to show the veteran defender a second yellow card.

Welling would have to play the remaining 39 minutes of the game a man light with City now sensing blood.

But the away onslaught never fully materialised with City content to keep things tight at the back and look to play on the break. Further chances did come and go as Law had a goal ruled out for offside before Kabia, with an outrageous volley from 45 yards, saw his effort bounce agonisingly over the bar.

As full-time arrived substitute Rooney shot wide inside the box while at the other end, Welling huffed and puffed in search of a leveller that never arrived as City triumphed for the first time ever in DA16 at this, the sixth time asking.

Boss John Askey once again hailed the character shown by his Truro City side, as they came from behind to defeat Welling United 2-1 away from home.

“All the chances that were created today were done so by us,” Askey said at full-time. “The goal they scored was from a wicked deflection – I think it was going out for a corner before it hit Will (Dean) and went in.

“The players did well to respond from going 1-0 down and to come back in the nature that they did, shows a lot of character again.

“I was really pleased with how we played in the first half and in the second half, we just had to see the game out.

“It was a good team performance and one that shows we are used to winning. When we went a goal behind we didn’t panic, we just did the same things as in previous weeks.

“It tested us mentally too because the changing rooms aren’t the best here. The pitch actually played quite well and if you want to achieve anything, then coming to places like Welling will test your mentality.

“Again, the players have stood up to the test and come away deserved winners.”

This away triumph stretches City’s unbeaten run to eight games, and they are only kept off top spot by a single goal, with Weston-super-Mare looking down on the rest.

But Askey was keen not to let his side get too carried away with their brilliant start to 2024-25, underpinned by the lack of injury and suspensions to key personnel.

“We have to just keep our heads down and keep going,” he added.

“It is early days, but one thing I will say is that the players are confident. Luckily, at the moment, we haven’t had too many injuries or suspensions, so we have been able to field a strong team every week.

“The players that are playing currently are very much capable of achieving something.”