Truro City go top as nine-man Ebbsfleet’s unbeaten run ends

Ebbsfleet United arrived in Cornwall unbeaten and sitting above Truro City. They went home with nine men, a red card for one of their coaching staff, and nothing to show for the trip.

Tyler Harvey scored twice as Truro City beat Ebbsfleet 3-0 at the Truro City Stadium on Saturday (31 October), leapfrogging the visitors to go top of National League South.

This was a meeting of the division’s top two sides, played in front of 1,885 supporters, and it rarely let up.

An early red card

Connor Riley-Lowe returned as captain for a Truro side that had beaten Slough Town 3-1 under the lights on Tuesday night. Manager John Askey made just one change, with Zac Bell dropping out.

Ebbsfleet had also won 3-1 in midweek, knocking previous leaders Maidstone United off the top. They started with in-form pair Daniel Ogunleye and Ben Chapman, but were without experienced club captain Kewsi Appiah, a former Ghana international, and assist leader Lennon Peake.

Truro had the better of the early exchanges. Harvey was unlucky not to add to his recent run of goals, with two glancing headers flashing just wide.

Then, in the 16th minute, Ebbsfleet midfielder James Vennings was shown a straight red card for a crude challenge on the speedy Tom Tweedy.

From there, much of the first half was played in the visitors’ half. Goalkeeper Will Buse got a hand to a Ben Starkie header, and a teammate blocked a fierce effort from Connor. At the other end, Aidan Stone dealt with a Fin Barnes shot struck straight at him, and watched Ben Chapman cut inside and bend one inches wide of the far post.

Harvey breaks the deadlock

City were straight back on the front foot after the break. Tyler ghosted in at the front post, only to see the ball cannon back off the base of the post, and then had a low free-kick kept out by Will.

At the other end, Daniel Ogunleye thought he’d scored, but the offside flag cut his celebrations short.

It seemed to stir Truro into action. A deep cross caused chaos in the Ebbsfleet backline, and Tyler pounced on the hesitation to lob Will and put City in front.

The visitors had a spell of their own. Daniel shot wide, and Aidan raced off his line to collect a loose ball. Josh Passley was lucky to stay on the pitch after what appeared to be violent conduct towards Ryan Law.

A Halloween horror in goal

Having weathered that, City doubled their lead. Tom Harrison headed Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain’s throw-in towards goal, and the ball squirmed out of Will’s grasp and over the line.

In the drama that followed, a member of the Ebbsfleet coaching staff was shown a straight red card.

There was more to come. Will brought down Harvey Greenslade, and Tyler coolly slotted home the penalty for his second of the afternoon. Late on, Cameron Gbadebo’s tackle on substitute Jack Stretton earned him a second yellow card from referee Jonathan Maskrey, leaving Ebbsfleet with nine men.

Truro go into November top of the table.

Match facts

Truro City: Stone, Riley-Lowe (capt), W Dean, Harrison, Harvey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jephcott (En-Neyah, 87), Law, Greenslade (Stretton, 87), Starkie (T Dean, 87), Tweedy. Subs not used: Lavercombe, Donnellan, Blake, Kinsey

Ebbsfleet United: Buse, Passley, Vokins (Seaman, 62), Gbadebo, Vennings, Ogunleye (Hessenthaler, 75), Edser (Manktelow, 88), Tizzard, Kennedy (Samuel, 75), Barnes (Walker, 66), Chapman. Subs not used: Hall, Box

Referee: Jonathan Maskrey

Attendance: 1,885

Watch: Stewart Yetton after the game

City’s assistant boss Stewart Yetton gave his reaction to the afternoon after the final whistle.