Gateshead vs Truro City – Match Report

Enterprise National League

By Gareth Davies, Gateshead International Stadium, Saturday

Gateshead 2 – Truro City 2

Truro City’s record-breaking 914 mile round trip to Gateshead was a game of two halves with spoils shared.

Playing with a strong breeze at their backs, City were 2-0 up at the break and but for the decisions of referee Matthew McQuillan, could have been further ahead.

Dom Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain found the mark for John Askey’s side, with Lirak Hasani and Luke Jephcott also having efforts ruled out.

After the turnaround, substitute Kain Adom halved the arrears before the Heed’s comeback was complete when former Plymouth Argyle striker Frank Nouble beat the offside trap to level.

But City came roaring back into the match and Jephcott had a glorious chance to win the game late in the piece, but Gateshead survived.

City boss John Askey made three changes from the side that defeated FC Halifax Town in their last National League fixture.

Yassine En-Neyah and Johnson-Fisher replaced injured duo Dan Roonney and Aiden Marsh, while Zac Bell exchanged places with Max Kinsey, who dropped to the bench.

📷Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain of Truro City scores a goal during the National League match between Gateshead and Truro City at Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead on 25 October 2025. Photo: Harry Cornish/PPAUK

In front of 185 visiting Tinners, Truro drew first blood inside the first 10 minutes with Johnson-Fisher scoring a fine individual effort. A neat interchange between Lirak Hasani and Jephcott released the City speedster, who raced clear and hammered the ball past home custodian Tiernan Brooks.

And it almost got even better for City when Johnson-Fisher was hauled down when clean on goal and despite releasing the ball, Jephcott finished and was denied by the offside flag.

Zac Bell stung Brooks’ palms before Hasani had an effort ruled out from a Jephcott corner, with Oxlade-Chamberlain ruled to have fouled a home defender.

Nouble had Gateshead’s first shot as the interval approached but Dan Lavercombe held with ease.

Then the deserved second for Truro arrived when Shaun Donnellan’s individual effort was saved by Brooks. Jephcott picked up the scraps and found Oxlade-Chamberlain at the back post, with his fine low finish putting City into dreamland.

In the second half, playing against the wind, Gateshead started their fightback when Adom got the better of Ryan Law and fired across Lavercombe into the bottom corner.

The hosts, despite dominating possession, didn’t really test Lavercombe again before drawing level through Nouble.

City were on the ropes at this stage, but they dug in and perhaps should have won the game late on.

Firstly, Jephcott broke clear and ruffled the side netting before City’s leading scorer was clean through and with only Brooks to beat, angled past the post by a whisker.

Truro weren’t quite done yet and Bell found space on the right but could only fire straight at Brooks and the ball bounced to safety.

With no FA Cup game next week, City are next in action against Solihull Moors and on November 5, the visitors will be hoping it is a night to remember on Bonfire Night, after coming close once more to a first win away from home in 25-26.

City: Lavercombe, Donnellan, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Law, Bell, En-Neyah, Dean, Hasani, Riley-Lowe, Jephcott, Johnson-Fisher (Pyke 67). Subs not used: Stone, Love-Holmes, Sanogo, Kinsey, Janneh, Kite.

Gateshead: Brooks, Johnson, Bakare, Flint (Melbourne, 45), Ferguson, Home (Edwards, 68), John, Butterfield (Pennant, 71), Hurst (Adsom, 45), Chapman (Telford, 78), Nouble. Subs not used: Leech, Bone.

Referee: Matthew McQuillan

Attendance: 1,256 (185 away)

📷Truro City FC fans after the National League match between Gateshead and Truro City at Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead on 25 October 2025. Photo: Harry Cornish/PPAUK

John Askey Post Match Reaction

by Gareth Davies

Boss John Askey hailed the ‘magnificent effort’ of Truro City’s supporters after 185 visiting Tinners were in attendance for the 2-2 draw away at Gateshead.

The distance of 914 miles there and back from Truro to the Gateshead International Stadium beat the previous record for distance covered to an English league match, which Truro also held after visiting Carlisle United in September.

And the journey must have seemed like it was worth it after 45 minutes when goals from Dom Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain had Truro 2-0 up.

But Gateshead, playing with a strong breeze in the second half, saw Kain Adom halved the arrears before former Plymouth Argyle hitman Frank Nouble restored parity.

City were creaking when Nouble netted but they dug in and should have won the game late on when Jephcott couldn’t find the target when in on goal.

“It is a magnificent effort to make the longest journey in English league football,” Askey said at full-time. “(The supporters) really get behind the players and we rarely hear anyone moaning.

“If we hadn’t got something from the game, after all those supporters made the journey, it would have been gutting really.

📷Goal celebrations for Dominic Johnson-Fisher of Truro City during the National League match between Gateshead and Truro City at Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead on 25 October 2025. Photo: Harry Cornish/PPAUK

“They deserve the team to do well, for the commitment they make and we will keep battling and fighting to pick up points.”

Reflecting on the game itself, Askey felt the conditions were akin to what the side regularly face at the Truro City Stadium, whilst also being puzzled at why a Lirak Hasani header was ruled out from a corner.

Despite being pegged back to 2-2 with 20 minutes to go, the 60-year-old former Macclesfield and York chief felt his side were ‘gutsy’ in weathering the home side’s storm.

“It was a bit like being at Truro because the wind has played a massive part in the game,” he added. “We went in 2-0 up at half time after Dom and Luke Jephcott had caused them all sorts of problems.

“It should have been 3-0 because the referee disallows a goal from a corner and we don’t know why. He said Christian has fouled a player, but he’s nowhere near anyone so that is a disappointment.

“At times the wind was gale force and you struggled to get out but we perhaps should have won the game at the end when Luke is in on goal.

“If we put our chances away like that we would have had more points. But the lads dug in when they got back to 2-2 and if you had asked me would I have taken a point, then I probably would of.

“It was a gutsy performance from the lads, especially after they had their tails up in the second half.”

📷Truro City FC fans before the National League match between Gateshead and Truro City at Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead on 25 October 2025. Photo: Harry Cornish/PPAUK