Maidstone United vs Truro City: Match Report

Vanarama National League South

Maidstone United 1 – Truro City 2

Gareth Davies, Gallagher Stadium, Saturday

Truro City picked up their first win of the season with a thoroughly deserved triumph over Maidstone United.

The Tinners, after dominating the match, were only one goal to the good as time ticked down, thanks to Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first half strike.

And after passing up a host of presentable chances, Maidstone restored parity in the 85^th minute when substitute Reiss Greenidge forced the ball home from a corner.

City then dusted themselves down and after Will Dean’s free-kick caused mayhem in the home box, the ball was forced over the line by Jaze Kabia.

Referee Morgan Conn didn’t initially give the goal, but his assistant Josh Williams immediately signalled that it was over the line and Truro had a second.

That wasn’t the end of the drama as in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Bruno Andrade’s goalbound effort was heroically blocked on the line by Ryan Law.

Before the late action, Truro had made all the running as they looked to bounce back from an opening day reverse at the hands of Dorking Wanderers.

City’s first chance of note came after just five minutes when Tyler Harvey stung the palms of home custodian Alexis Andre Jnr.

And this started a procession of goalscoring opportunities that John Askey’s charges fashioned before the turnaround.

The one they made count came from a Dean free-kick, which was headed back across goal by Tom Harrison, for Oxlade-Chamberlain to score from inside the six-yard box.

Shortly before going ahead, City were denied by Andre Jnr with the one-time Truro incumbent pulling off a top save, after Harvey worked himself a shooting opportunity in the box.

After Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal, Dean had a fizzing effort cleared off the line and the Kiderminster loanee could only glance a free-kick wide.

Harvey, who, along with Dom Johnso-Fisher ran Maidstone ragged in the first half, then set up Dean perfectly but from the edge of the box, he could only fire over.

Maidstone’s first attack of note should have seen them level but a combination of a Harrison block, and a wonderful point-blank save from Dan Lavercombe, denied both Arron Blair and Riley Court.

Into the second stanza and the game became something of a stop start affair which, for the most part, played into Truro’s hands.

That was until seven minutes from time when George Fowler fell awkwardly and was replaced, after a lengthy spell of treatment, by Greenidge.

The towering Guyanan, with his first touch of the ball, saw an effort cleared off the line by Harvey before he equalised.

It looked like being an undeserved share of the spoils for the hosts until another Dean set-piece went into a dangerous area and after a scramble, Kabia was credited with the final touch.

Harvey also had chances to put the game to bed in the dying embers before Law’s heroics helped Truro hold on to get their latest league campaign up and running.

Truro City: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harrison, Sanders, Law, Love-Holmes (Riley-Lowe, 90), Sanogo, Dean, En-Neyah, Harvey, Johnson-Fisher (Kabia, 77). Subs not used: Palfrey, Kuleya, Jones.

Maidstone: Andre Jr, Eweka, Brookes, Fowler (Greenidge, 84), Corne, Blair, Benton, Krasniqi (Coulthurst, 58), Bentley (Andrade, 64), Court (Fonkeu, 78), Smith. Sub not used: Holden.

Referee: Morgan Conn

Attendance: 2,382

Photo Credit: Helen Cooper/Maidstone United

John Askey’s Post Match Thoughts

Boss John Askey says that Saturday’s win over Maidstone United saw Truro City deliver the best performance of his tenure to date.

Against another of the pre-season promotion favourites, City were in control for long periods on the road in Kent, but could only turn their dominance into one goal as time ticked down.

Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring after 20 minutes but late on, substitute Reiss Greenidge turned home a corner in fortunate circumstances to restore parity.

However, undeterred, City went back up the other end and after a Will Dean free-kick caused havoc in the home box, Jaze Kabia was ruled to have scored, despite referee Morgan Conn not initially giving the goal. After consultation with one of his assistants, the goal was awarded and City were triumphant for the first time this term.

“I’m really pleased because taking into account pre-season and the first game, I think that is the best we have played,” Askey told trurocity.co.uk.

“The effort was fantastic and although there are things we can work on, I thought for the majority of the game, we were the better team.

“It was a shame we didn’t take more of our chances because in the first half, we had three very good chances that we passed up.

“But at this stage of the season, it doesn’t matter how you win, it is just about getting three points on the board. The sooner you can do that the better because we have a tough start to the season and this result takes the pressure off a little bit.

“It will give us confidence in what we are trying do and I want us to play more football and control games.

“I think we did that in the first half and by controlling the game, we can put the ball in good areas.”

Askey, who has managed and won promotion at Step Two with York City, also praised the defensive efforts of his side, whilst remarking that Tuesday’s trip to Salisbury will bring new challenges, compared to that faced against George Elokobi’s Stones.

The Tinners chief added: “I can’t really remember Dan (Lavercombe, Truro goalkeeper) having too many saves to make, if any in the second half. The goal they scored was from a set piece where it hit the lad’s knee and flew into the corner.

“We restricted them to very few chances and although they should have taken one in the first half, we had the better opportunities.

“Overall, it is pleasing to get that win and we can move onto Tuesday. It will be a different type of game and we will have a look at them really closely.

“Hopefully everyone has come through Maidstone unscathed and due to the quick turnaround, there isn’t much time to enjoy this.”