Aveley vs Truro City: Match Report

Vanarama National League South

Aveley 1 – Truro City 2

Gareth Davies, Parkside, Saturday

Tyler Harvey’s magnificent header 11 minutes from time secured Truro City a fully deserved victory over Aveley.

The Tinners’ leading marksman rose superbly to head Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross into the top corner, past overworked home custodian Carey Bloedorn.

The Millers’ incumbent was at fault for City’s first goal when he ran into no man’s land and after leaving the ball for Nathan Carlyle, in stepped Jaze Kabia to fire into an empty net.

City had further chances to extend their lead before Aveley drew level in first half stoppage time with Charlee Hughes scoring from the spot.

The second half was a scrappy affair, due in no small part to persistent infringements from the hosts, who did their best to stop Truro playing until Harvey bagged his sixth of the campaign.

After taking the lead again, City should have added to their tally with Bloedorn coming to the fore and rescuing his side on more than one occasion.

Tinners boss John Askey made three changes from the side that were bundled out of the FA Cup by Brackley Town seven days previously.

Sam Sanders, who was an unused sub against the Saints, came back into the side with Pharell Johnson dropping out of the matchday squad altogether.

In midfield, Yassine En-Neyah was restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Scott Burgess who was named as a substitute.

On the left-hand side of a midfield five, Ryan Law and Connor Riley-Lowe swapped places with Truro’s club captain joining Burgess on the bench.

In hot and humid conditions, City made a bright start and despite two half chances from home midfielder Luke Allen, it was the visitors who almost drew first blood.

The outstanding Oxlade-Chamberlain worked his way into the box and from a tight angle, drew a fine saw from Bloedorn.

At the other end, Dan Lavercombe had to be alert to gather Hughes’ scuffed close range effort as the 20-minute mark approached.

The game then turned on an injury suffered by home captain Jason Ring when he felt the full force of a (legal) coming together with Sam Sanders. Both players thundered into the challenge and it was Ring who was left in a heap on the artificial turf.

After a spell of treatment, he initially continued but looked groggy, losing Harvey who met Billy Palfrey’s cross as Bloedore was pressed into action once more.

Ring was forced off on 34 minutes and replaced by Josh Anifowose and this substitution appeared to send the hosts into a real tailspin.

With Avelely still adjusting from the early enforced change, En-Neyah’s ball into space invited Kabia to chase and Carlyle appeared to be covering well.

However, Bloedore came charging from his goal and with neither defender or goalkeeper dealing with the danger, Kabia picked up the scraps to calmly finish into a vacated net.

And straight from the restart, Truro won the ball back and should have made it two. Will Dean headed into the path of Harvey and bearing down on goal, City’s leading marksman opted for a lobbed finish which a back peddling Bloedore managed to palm over the bar.

But in first half stoppage time, Avelely levelled in hugely contentious fashion. City gave the ball away in midfield and after having one cross blocked by Sanders, Allen had a second bite of the cherry and the ball hit En-Neyah, who had his back turned to play.

Despite no real appeals from the home players or crowd, referee Jack Willmore pointed to the spot.

And Hughes showed real composure to send Lavercombe the wrong way and plant the ball straight down the middle and into the net.

Now it was Truro’s turn to stutter after conceding and but for a magnificent save from Lavercombe to deny Anifowose, the Tinners could have gone in behind at the break.

It would have been wholly unjust, but City survived and after the interval, the game was stop start for large parts.

Sanders headed straight at Bloedore and with Avelely keeping their powder bone dry, due to an excellent defensive display from the visitors, it was Harvey who grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck late on.

A neat interchange on the right between Riley-Lowe and Oxlade-Chamberlain resulted in the latter finding Harvey with a pin-point cross.

City’s talisman still had a lot to do, but he ran across the front of his defender and into space, powering a header into the top corner in emphatic fashion.

Shipping a second goal knocked the stuffing out of Avelely with Riley-Lowe and substitute Dom Johnson-Fisher denied by the overworked Bloedore as City pressed for more.

It wouldn’t have been unjust for City to have added gloss to a fine afternoon as the final reckoning flattered the struggling Millers.

But given Truro’s three match losing streak any kind of victory would have been music to Askey’s ears.

What the City chief got was a confident performance and win which demonstrated that recent results were just, it appears, a blip.

Truro City: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harrison, Sanders, Love-Holmes (Riley-Lowe, 52), En-Neyah, Palfrey (Burgess, 66), Dean, Law, Kabia (Johnson-Fisher, 66), Harvey. Subs not used: Kuleya, Rooney.

Aveley: Bloedore, Ring (Anifowose, 34), Kpakpe, Leathers, Carlyle, Beadle, Aileru (Ogunrindie, 86), Allen (Hernandez, 80), Hughes, De-Graft (Kawa, 88), Owen. Sub not used: Eze.

Referee: Jack Willmore

Attendance: 462

📷John Askey, Manager of Truro City during the Emirates FA Cup 2nd round qualifying tie match between Truro City and Brackley Town at Truro Sports Hub on 14 September 2024 Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

Photo: John Askey, Manager of Truro City – Photo Credit: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

John Askey’s Post Match Thoughts

Boss John Askey says that his Truro City ‘deserved to win’ after they defeated Aveley 2-1 at Parkside.

The victory arrested a run of three consecutive defeats suffered by the Tinners – two in National League South and an early FA Cup exit.

But City, as Askey rightly points out, were thoroughly good value for all three points. They took the lead after 36 minutes when Jaze Kabia profited on a home defensive mishap to score.

Against the run of play, Aveley equalised from the spot on the stroke of half-time through Charlee Hughes. City, who were dominant throughout, then scored their winner 11 minutes from time when Tyler Harvey headed home powerfully into the top corner, from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross.

“We deserved to win and I’m really pleased because it gets us back to winning ways,” Askey told trurocity.co.uk.

“We are back in the play-offs and that shows that we are really trying to achieve something. There is our budget and the travelling to contend with, but we have demonstrated that we are more than capable of competing in this league.

“Hopefully that continues and we can keep surprising one or two teams.”

Askey, a centre forward of real pedigree during his playing days, hailed the impact of Harvey, who bagged his sixth goal in just nine league goals to date.

“Only Tyler cam produce a header like that for us,” the 59-year-old added. “He does it time and time again and if we keep putting balls in (the box) then he will score.

“He actually missed a sitter in the first half, but like all good strikers, he keeps getting in and creating chances.

“He has won us the game again, but I thought we played a lot of good stuff and created a lot of chances. Overall, I feel that we should have won by more.”

After exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Brackley, Askey’s side won’t be in competitive action next weekend with their next game a mouth-watering affair against table toppers Hemel Hempstead Town, at the Truro City Stadium, on October 6.

With the week off in mind, Askey was left with missed emotions when asked about his thoughts on City sitting out next weekend.

“We would prefer to keep playing, but it gives us time to recruit and to work on things in training that we can do a lot better,” he remarked.

“The rest period does also give us chance to have a breather and enjoy the win for a few more days.”