Carlisle United vs Truro City – Match Report

Published On: 8 September 2025Last Updated: 8 September 2025By CornishStuff

Enterprise National League

By Tom Howe, Brunton Park, Saturday

Carlisle United 3 – Truro City 0

Brave Truro City were undone by a clinical Carlisle United, who ran out 3-0 winners at Brunton Park.

The Cumbrians responded to a positive start to the match from the Tinners by scoring twice in quick succession through Luke Armstrong inside 12 minutes.

Regan Linney scored after the interval to put the result beyond doubt, after Luke Jephcott, Tyler Harvey and Will Dean had come closest to clawing City back into the tie.

John Askey’s men refused to let their heads drop however, and continued carving out chances until the final whistle, when it was confirmed that their two game unbeaten run wouldn’t be stretching to a third.

There was just one change to the side that drew 2-2 with Aldershot Town on Tuesday night and one that was enforced through suspension, following Dan Rooney’s red card after the final whistle that resulted in a two-match ban. That saw full debutant Shaun Donnellan come in to take up a place at the back, with Dean reverting to his more familiar midfield role.

📷Sam Sanders of Truro City players and staff pose before boarding the coach for their mammoth coach trip to Carlisle United in the National League, being the longest trip for any football team in England on 4 September 2025 Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

In front of 78 hardy visiting supporters, City made a bright start on what was English football’s longest ever away trip, Despite the miles in the tank and a late change to their starting XI – with Jephcott drafted in after Rekeil Pyke was forced to withdraw during the warm-up – the Tinners settled quickly and enjoyed much of the early possession.

They looked lively in the opening exchanges, with Zac Bell’s dangerous delivery on eight minutes causing problems for home custodian Gabe Breeze, who fumbled before recovering at the second attempt under serious pressure from Jephcott.

However, despite the Tinners’ encouraging start, Carlisle weathered the relative storm before striking with ruthless efficiency. Against the run of play, a swift move down the left saw Cameron Harper release Stephen Wearne, whose low cross was tucked in by Armstrong from close range on ten minutes.

Just two later, the hosts doubled their advantage when Linney’s shot was blocked, allowing Armstrong to pounce on the loose ball and fire home his second.

The Cumbrians threatened again as Harper and Linney both went close but the Tinners grew back into the game and began to fashion some chances of their own. Dean stung the palms of Breeze with a volley after being found by Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, with young Gabriel’s divine intervention cutting out a number of dangerous crosses.

City’s best opening came on 36 minutes when Harvey drove down the left and cut back for Jephcott, who struck narrowly wide with Breeze beaten.

At the other end, Donnellan produced a vital interception to deny Armstrong a first-half hat-trick, while Oxlade-Chamberlain was alert to clear another dangerous David Ajiboye cross just before the break.

It was a determined City that came out for the second half in search of a way back into the contest, and Oxlade-Chamberlain almost provided that early spark when his curling strike whistled narrowly wide of the bottom corner.

Harry Kite went into referee Dean Watson’s book before his manager, Askey, turned to his bench in search of fresh impetus. Dom Johnson-Fisher was introduced for Bell and immediately made an impression, pinching the ball from a home defender to win a corner.

Despite City’s renewed intent, Carlisle stretched their lead on the hour mark through Linney, who cut in from the left and sent it a strike that, via a deflection, left Stone with no chance. Linney threatened again five minutes later, only for Ryan Law to step in with a superb challenge to deny him.

The Tinners responded by making a double substitution – with Ben Starkie and Lirak Hasani replacing Jephcott and Kite – and continued to push on, with Harvey going close when he charged down Breeze’s clearance on 72 minutes, before watching the ball ricochet agonisingly wide of the mark.

Dean also had the Carlisle stopper scrambling as his effort whistled fizzed wide with ten minutes to play.

Further changes followed as Connor Riley-Lowe replaced Donnellan in defence, while Aidan Stone was called into action late on to gather two efforts from substitute Harvey Macadam, prior to a final whistle that signalled the second half of a mammoth 16 hour, 880 mile round trip for the Tinners faithful.

Truro City: Stone, Bell (Johnson-Fisher, 52), Dean, Sanders, En-Neyah, Harvey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jephcott (Starkie, 68), Law, Donnellan (Riley-Lowe, 83), Kite (Hasani, 68). Subs not used: Lavercombe, Kinsey

Carlisle: Breeze, Davies, Harper, Thomas, Ajiboye (Luamba, 60), Linney (Kelly, 83), Wearne (Macadam, 60), Ellis (Grant, 79), Gilliead (Whelan, 60), Mugabi, Armstrong; Subs not used: Lewis, Hayden

Referee: Dean Watson

Attendance: 7,539 – including 78 visiting supporters.

📷Truro City fans applaud the players after the Enterprise National League Match between Carlisle United and Truro City at Brunton Park, Carlisle on 6 September - PHOTO: Steve Flynn/PPAUK

John Askey Post Match Reaction

Boss John Askey hailed the unwavering support of Truro City’s supporters after their mammoth trip to Carlisle ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Travelling 440 miles each way to Brunton Park, the Tinners and their fans, which totalled 78 and the best in terms of numbers to visit Cumbria this season, created an English football record for the longest distance covered for a league fixture.

Despite being placed on an open terrace at short notice in the days leading up to the game – although Carlisle did offer free food and drink to City fans to soften the blow – those making the trip from Cornwall were loud, proud and backed their charges from first minute until last.

And this incredible level of commitment and support was not lost on Askey, when speaking to the media at full time.

“I’ve said it before and this is the thing that makes Truro special as a club is that the supporters get behind the team no matter what,” Askey said at full-time.

“I know last season we were very successful, so it was easy to get behind the players, but from what I know (the fans) never even moan and they appreciate what the players have done.

“They carry on getting behind us and that will stand us in good stead when we are playing upcoming matches, both home and away.”

On the pitch, City started brightly but were ultimately undone by a brace of Luke Armstrong goals in the space of 90 seconds early in the piece.

Will Dean and Luke Jephcott had chances to spark a comeback in the opening stanza before Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain did similar in the opening moments after the turnaround.

But Carlisle made the points safe when Regan Linney netted on the hour, his seventh of the campaign since joining United from Altrincham during the summer.

“Carlsile is a tough place to come and we knew that before the game,” Askey added. “We started quite bright and then the first goal gave Carlisle all the momentum and the second (goal) within a few minutes, sort of killed us really.

“The lads have battled away, dug in and there will be teams that will come here and get rolled over by four or five. While it was 2-0, in the second half, we had a chance but we needed to score.

“When they did score a third, it really killed the game off but these matches will improve us and improve the players. In games like these, you have to work harder, because players make more than one run and Carlisle didn’t stop running all game.

“You have to stay with sides like this so we can only get better by playing the likes of Carlisle.”