Morecambe vs Truro City – Match Report

Published On: 9 February 2026Last Updated: 9 February 2026By CornishStuff

Enterprise National League

By Tom Howe, Mazuma Mobile Stadium, Saturday

Morecambe 1 – Truro City 2

Goals from Shaun Donnellan and Tyler Harvey secured Truro City’s first away win in the National League, with relegation rivals Morecambe beaten by the odd goal in three, writes Tom Howe.

Donnellan opened the scoring when poking home from inside the six-yard-box on 34 minutes, before Harvey doubled the Tinners’ advantage with a back post flick in added on time at the end of the first-half.

Gwion Edwards pulled one back shortly after the restart to set up a tense second stanza, as the sides second and third from bottom at step one tussled tooth and nail for a welcome boost in their respective battles against the drop.

A staunch rearguard action from the travelling Tinners frustrated the Shrimps and saw them complete the domestic double over their opposition. In doing so, they reduce the deficit between themselves and safety to just four points.

City boss John Askey, who hails from Stoke-on-Trent, was no stranger to this part of the world, having played and managed Macclesfield Town with distinction, as well as enjoying a spell in the dugouts of both Port Vale and Hartlepool.

📷Goal celebrations for Tyler Harvey of Truro City during the Enterprise National League match between Morecambe and Truro City at The Mazuma Mobile Stadium on 7 February 2026 in Morecambe, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)

He made eight changes to a Tinners side that edged past Braintree Town on penalties to secure a semi-final berth in the National League Cup last time out. Aidan Stone returned between the sticks, in front of a defensive force that featured captain Connor Riley-Lowe, Tom Harrison and Donnellan.

Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harry Charsley and Harvey also made the starting XI, alongside Harry Kite, who pulled on a City jersey for the first time since November 25.

Jack Nolan, who leads the way in both Morecambe’s goals scored and goals created tallies, would be one to watch for the opposition. He lined up in the midfield, between former Brentford and Reading centre-half Harlee Dean and on-loan Leicester City forward Chris Popov, who each arrived at Mazuma Stadium in the last month.

The Tinners themselves went into the tie unbeaten in six of their last nine outings, with their three losses in that spell – which stretches back to the turn of November – coming against the National League’s top two (Rochdale and York City) and play-off chasing Hartlepool United.

Morecambe, incidentally, have played 14 times in that period, to the tune of two wins, five draws and seven defeats, with Jim Bentley, who managed the club between 2011 and 2019, making a comeback ahead of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Altrincham, with Ashvir Singh Johal’s ill-fated tenure being brought to an end.

Coming out in the wash were two sides fighting for their lives at the bottom of the National League, with 22nd place Morecambe edging the Tinners by a single point and a place in the standings going into Saturday’s tie.

Truro, however, had the benefit of a game in hand and a better goal difference, buoyed by their 5-0 win over the same opposition back at The TCS in September.

Regardless, both teams were acutely aware of the importance of the occasion, with their respective gaps to safety sat at six and seven points respectively.

The better of the early exchanges went the way of City – cheered on by 85 fans making the 12-hour round-trip to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium – for whom Harvey was brought down in his prime on two occasions without prompting referee Zac Kennard-Kettle to blow his whistle. That came either side of a Lirak Hasani shot that cleared the crossbar.

The Kosovan was once again in the thick of the action when forcing home custodian Jamal Blackman into a save, following fine work from an ever-energetic Dominic Johnson-Fisher. Blackman was called into action again soon after, reacting quickly to keep out Donnellan’s header from a Riley-Lowe free-kick.

An upturn in pressure ultimately bore fruit as Luke Jephcott’s delightful ball into the corridor of uncertainty was met by an unlikely source, as Donnellan stabbed past Blackman to open the scoring.

Bentley’s half-time team talk went out the window and his homecoming candles blew out as Harvey met a Riley-Lowe corner to prod home a second, just as the fourth official’s board went up to signal four minutes of added time – the captain adding to his goal and two assists against Morecambe this term.

The scoreline could have looked even more favourable just seconds after the restart, as Harvey collected Hasani’s pass and sent a dipping volley just past the post.

However, the tone of the tie soon switched as Edwards pulled a goal back with a 51st-minute wonder strike that left Stone helpless. Frustrated at the loss of his clean sheet, the Tinners gloveman set out on a mission to prevent any further forays past him.

Miguel Azeez was denied on two occasions, as was Nolan and substitute Joe Nuttall, as Morecambe huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way to break down Truro’s miserly backline.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic though as, while the hosts were held at arm’s length, the visitors had chances of their own to put the game to bed. Charsley curled a shot narrowly wide and Blackman saved well again from Harvey.

Five nervy minutes of added time came and went, leaving City with a history-making start to a busy February that continues with the visit of Woking to Cornwall on Tuesday (7.45 pm), ahead of a journey to Halifax Town in seven days time (3.00 pm).

Match Facts

Tinners: Stone, Riley-Lowe, Harrison, Harvey, Johnson-Fisher (Law, 67), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hasani, Jephcott, Donnellan, Kite, Charsley; Subs not used: Lavercombe, Bell, Palfrey, Pyke, Kinsey, Stretton.

Morecambe: Blackman, Payne, Dean, Francillette, Edwards, Azeez, Williams (Sangare, 90), Tollitt (Nuttall, 73), Songo’o (Lewis, 85), Nolan, Popov (Thomas, 90); Subs not used: Boney, McWilliams, Akindileni.

Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle

Attendance: 2,663 (85 away)

📷Goal celebrations for Shaun Donnellan of Truro City during the Enterprise National League match between Morecambe and Truro City at The Mazuma Mobile Stadium on 7 February 2026 in Morecambe, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)

John Askey Post Match Reaction

by Gareth Davies

Boss John Askey hailed his Truro City players to a man as they broke their National League away duck with a 2-1 win at relegation rivals Morecambe.

In a six-pointer at the bottom of the table, with City seven points from safety before kick-off, the visitors were good value for a 2-0 interval lead thanks to goals from Shaun Donnellan and Tyler Harvey.

Five minutes after the break, Morecambe halved the arrears through Gwion Edwards, but City rode the home storm out comfortably and through Harvey, Harry Charsley and Lirak Hasani, could have added further shine to a morale-boosting away victory.

“It was vital that we showed up today as we knew what was at stake,” Askey said at full-time. “I thought the players responded and right from the off we did really well.

“We went in at half-time 2-0 up and deservedly so but then we shot ourselves in the foot a bit because the message had been to continue doing what we had been doing.

“We gave a daft goal away that invited some pressure but we dealt with it very well and as the game wore on, it looked like we might get another on the break.

“The performance and attitude of the players – every single one of them – was one of hard work and if we can keep performing like that between now and the end of the season, then we will be fine.”

The win was not only City’s first in the league on the road this term, but the first win away from TR4 in any competition for the first time in 293 days, since Weston-super-Mare were defeated 2-0 on April 21, 2025.

Despite the side’s acute travel sickness, Askey firstly didn’t let it affect his players, whilst sound in knowledge that form would change eventually.

“You get disappointed that you are not winning (away), but it is not something you get too down about,” the 61-year-old added.

“We just knew as the season went on we would improve and we are. This season, especially away from home, we have had to get to grips with a lot of things.

“Travel needs to be right and the right recovery too. We have improved in those areas and in the last few games, you have seen an improvement.”