Truro City vs Boston United – Match Report

Published On: 1 September 2025Last Updated: 1 September 2025By CornishStuff

Enterprise National League

By Tom Howe, Truro City Stadium, Saturday

Truro City 3 – Boston United 0

Truro City have a maiden National League victory after a commanding 3-0 home triumph over Boston United, writes Tom Howe.

Rekeil Pyke scored his first Tinners goal on the stroke of half-time, in what was just reward for City’s dominance, before captain Tyler Harvey doubled the lead from the penalty spot early in the second stanza.

Will Dean followed up his header in Bank Holiday Monday’s loss at Boreham Wood with a decisive third, lashing home from the edge of the box to put the result beyond any doubt.

Boston were restricted to half chances throughout, with Dylan Hill spurning their best opening and debutant City stopper Aidan Stone rarely called upon in what were challenging conditions sparked by the remnants of Hurricane Erin.

Stone’s City bow was the only change to John Askey’s starting XI following the 2-1 reverse in Hertfordshire earlier in the week, as Dan Lavercombe reverted to a place on the bench.

Right from the first whistle it was the hosts that looked the sharper of the two sides. Zac Bell and Jake Taylor combined neatly down the right inside the opening few minutes, forcing Rhys Lovett into an early save before, at the other end, Yassine En-Neyah twice stepped in with timely clearances to prevent United from building any momentum.

City settled down after that and began to take control of the half. En-Neyah’s fierce drive from 20 yards was kept out by the fingertips of Lovett, while Harvey twice went close, first seeing an effort ricochet wide, before rattling the crossbar after meeting Bell’s pinpoint delivery inside the box.

United, managed by former Plymouth Argyle defender Graham Coughlan, offered the odd threat, with Hill dragging wide after capitalising on a slip from Sam Sanders, but the visitors were largely restricted to fleeting breaks, with Bell’s tireless tracking back keeping them in check after a swift break.

As half-time approached, City’s pressure finally told. Another ball swung into the box caused havoc in the swirling conditions and, as it dropped kindly at the far post, Pyke reacted quickest to stab home.

City came out after the break with the same intent and, within minutes, had extended their advantage. Harvey was bundled over inside the area after fine work from Pyke, who had turned over possession high up the pitch. The skipper dusted himself down and made no mistake from the spot, hammering the ball past Lovett.

Collective breaths had barely been caught before City were celebrating again. A deep free-kick was nodded back into the danger zone by Ox and met by Dean, who lashed home his second of the campaign.

At 3-0, the hosts were in complete control but United tried to muster a response nonetheless. Jordy Hiwula’s snapshot was bravely blocked by Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain before a cross was confidently claimed by the ever-alert but rather underworked Stone.

It was City, though, who continued to look the more likely side to add to the scoreline. Bell came within a lick of paint of doing just that, his long-range strike glancing off the top of the bar after sharp build-up play that involved substitutes Johnson-Fisher and Hasani.

Harvey almost grabbed his second late on too, unable to direct his header on target after having ghosted in at the back post.

The only blot in an otherwise fine looking City copybook was a second-half injury to Taylor, who limped off to be replaced by ex-Boston midfielder Hasani.

Otherwise, it’ll go down as another day to remember for the Tinners, with a first win at step one, their opening National League goals at The TCS and a maiden clean sheet at this level, too.

City are well and truly, up and running.

Truro City: Stone, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Dean, Sanders, Bell, Rooney, En-Neyah, Taylor (Hasani, 64), Law, Pyke (Johnson-Fisher, 70). Harvey. Subs not used: Lavercombe, Riley-Lowe, Jephcott, Starkie, Donnellan.

Boston United: Lovett, Grist, Kelly (Coyle, 72), Teale, Slogett, Hill, John-Lewis (Norkett, 72), Lankshear, Fogarty (Scott, 78), Richards, Raikhy (Hiwula, 46); Subs Not Used: Jones, Alonzi

Referee: Niall Smith

Attendance: 2,116 (196 away)

📷Goal celebrations for Tyler Harvey of Truro City as he strikes the ball from the penalty spot during the National League match between Truro City and Boston United at Truro City Stadium on 30 August 2025 Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

John Askey Post Match Reaction

Boss John Askey says that a 3-0 victory over Boston United will give his Truro City side ‘belief’ for their ongoing maiden National League campaign.

The Tinners, without a win in their first five Step One outings, broke their duck in emphatic fashion at a rain lashed Truro City Stadium.

In a dominant first half from Askey’s charges, they took the lead in stoppage time before the turnaround when striker Rekeil Pyke poked home from close range.

And the game was over as a contest inside the opening 10 minutes of the second stanza when Tyler Harvey converted from the spot and Will Dean lashed home a loose ball.

A solid defensive rearguard blunted any hopes of a Boston comeback and City should have had more as time ticked down with Zac Bell denied by the woodwork.

“It is what we all wanted from the start of the season,” Askey said. “It shows that we can do it, but this is just a start. We played really well again today and the difference was the first goal.

“We got some momentum from that and it gave us belief. It is always nice to score goals and to also keep a clean sheet.

“Everytime we went into the box we looked like we were going to get chances and it was a relief to get the result. On another day, we could have had a few more as well.”

Not only did City pick up their first points of the campaign, they also kept a clean sheet for the first time since April, with Aidan Stone replacing Dan Lavercombe between the sticks.

Askey explained the rationale behind Stone’s selection and praised the former Yeovil Town, Port Vale and Notts County custodian’s endevours, despite not having to make a save of note.

“What he had to do, he did very competently,” Askey added. “His talking was good and his kicking was good, although that isn’t taking anything away from how Dan has been.

“Dan is unlucky not to play and we needed to make a change somewhere. We have changed everything else so far this season and so we changed goalkeeper today.

“I’m sure if Dan had played today, the result would have been the same, but overall, everyone at the football club was pleased to get the result.”