Truro City (0) 1 Greenslade 90+6
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Fish 45 Gard 60 (pen)
Attendance: 237
Admission: £9 Senior
Mileage: 488/3,224
Weather: Warm sunshine following heavy rain, 16degC
Played at Plymouth Parkway
New Ground: 382
The longest trip of the season went to plan in terms of travelling but the outward journey was an anxious one as the weather looked set to make it a wasted one.
Newly-promoted Truro City are groundsharing at Plymouth Parkway whilst Stadium Cornwall is being built, so the journey could have been 50 miles further.
The day started ominously, alarm at 6am to the sound of pouring rain followed by a better omen that the walk to the station was done in a period of brief respite. It remained dry until after Totnes when the rain returned and how!
Arriving in Plymouth at 12:15, there was plenty of time to follow the internet’s guidance to Parkway by bus. Not to be trusted, especially as the rain started to fall in monsoon proportions. The bus stop was found but not the bus and I dragged myself back to the station to get a taxi to the ground, three miles away. Soaked and now very worried that this might be all for nothing.
On arrival, the information was that the pitch had survived a first inspection but it wasn’t going to take much more rain and then once more the heaven’s opened.
Thankfully, it was a short, sharp shower and perhaps the fact that referee Claussen had travelled even further, from Southend, the game was given the go ahead.
Plymouth Parkway’s Bolitho Park is a tidy ground with a 250 seater stand straddling the half way line. Opposite is a full length covered enclosure, that has an area of seating with flat standing either side. Behind one goal there is a full length covered flat standing. At the other end, where there is a tented area to eat or drink, is also a mini covered terrace area, that could hold 20 or so at best!
Another absence, Jamie Fielding, saw Joe Tyrie taking a starting place forming a teenage central defensive partnership with Ethan Sutcliffe.
Truro have struggled at home this season, only winning twice, and how they are sustaining a National League side on a gate of just 237 with just a minibus load of Cornish people lending their support.
The pitch was obviously going to be difficult but probably improved as the game wore on as some warm sunshine emerged from the clouds.
The first half ebbed and flowed with neither side dominating but the Angels creating the better chances and were deserving of their lead, taken on the stroke of half time, when a peach of a pass from Charlie Pegrum send Sonny Fish clear to finish coolly past the advancing Jamie Pardington.
Truro started the second period with a couple of early chances but the Angels took charge and doubled their advantage on the hour when Fish was brought down by Ed Palmer. Lewis Gard maintained his perfect record from the spot sending Pardington the wrong way.
Tonbridge had chances to put the game to bed through substitutes Jordan Greenidge, who hit a post, and Joe Turner but found themselves a man short when Ansu Janneh was unluckily sent off as he slipped as he made a challenge and ending up going through the player.
Truro gave themselves a chance in the lengthy added time when a 25-yarder from Harvey Greenslade found the bottom corner which was a particular disappointment for the young central defensive pairing who had done so well aided by a superb Jordan Higgs in front of them.
Truro’s Tyler Harvey also saw red in the closing moments for a second yellow.
Opening my front door at 11:35 pm, it had been a long day but three points eased the tiredness and the clocks going back gave an extra hours sleep.
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