Harvey brace helps Truro extend unbeaten start

A SECOND half double from Tyler Harvey saw Truro City extend their unbeaten start to the National League South season with a 2-0 victory over Tonbridge Angels.

The Tinners, 2-0 winners at home to Maidstone United on the opening day, followed a goalless draw at Chelmsford City with a deserved triumph at the Longmead Stadium.

Angels’ custodian Nathan Harness provided divine inspiration to keep out Harvey’s header and Luke Jephcott’s half-volley during what was a competitive opening half.

The difference came eight minutes into the second, when Harvey scored from the spot after having his shirt pulled, before his turn and shot sealed the deal 16 from time.

Having made seven changes to his line-up for Tuesday’s 2-1 National League Cup win over Southampton under-21s, Tinners boss John Askey reverted to the same side that began both of City’s two domestic outings so far this term.

That meant returns from the off for captain Connor Riley-Lowe, Luke Jephcott, Jack Stretton, Tom Tweedy, Shaun Donnellan, Yassine En-Neyah and Harvey. Summer signing Harvey Greenslade, meanwhile, joined the matchday squad for the first time, taking up a place on the bench.

The opposition came into the tie with two wins to sandwich a 2-1 loss against Torquay United. Jephte Tanga sat joint top of the early Golden Boot running after contributing twice in a 4-0 win against Braintree Town and the winner in a 1-0 triumph against Dover Athletic last time out.

When play got underway, one of the Tinners’ returning number, Stretton, found himself appealing for a foul inside the opening five minutes. Unmoved, referee Jack Willmore waved play on, which permitted Ricky Korboa to unleash an effort that Aidan Stone tipped over his crossbar.

After then fielding a series of corners, Harvey was afforded a couple of sighters before rising highest to meet a Tom Tweedy cross and force Harness into pushing the ball over his own woodwork.

Harness showed good reactions again moments later as Jephcott caught the ball on the half volley from just outside the box, with the same player soon seeing a similar effort charged down by Korboa.

Tweedy then led a charge up the field and looked to play in Stretton but Jordon Thompson was rewarded for an excellent piece of anticipation that denied City any further progress, as the deadlock remained unbroken going into the break.

The Tinners needed only eight second half minutes to finally land the telling blow though and it came as little surprise that Harvey was chief instigator.

Thompson had hold of the striker’s shirt inside the box, enough to prompt Willmore to award a penalty, one that Harvey slotted past Harness and into the bottom corner to give Truro a welcome lead.

Continuing their dominance, Tweedy soon saw a strike swing off-target before Harvey put the game to bed when, after good work down the right hand side, he collected the ball inside the box, turned on a sixpence and shot home to score his third of the season.

Some late defending was required to confirm a third game unbeaten and, along with it, a third consecutive clean sheet.

The Tinners pit their unbeaten record against that of league leaders Dagenham and Redbridge in their next outing, with the Daggers visiting the Truro City Stadium this Saturday (3pm) having won all four of their fixtures thus far.

Tinners: Stone, Riley-Lowe (capt), W Dean, Harrison, Donnellan, En-Neyah, Harvey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jephcott, Stretton (Greenslade, 80), Tweedy (T Dean, 82); Subs Not Used: Lavercombe, Bell, Johnson-Fisher, Starkie, Kinsey

Tonbridge Angels: Harness, Sutcliffe, Thompson, Beeden (capt), Akehurst, Brown (Miller-McDonald, 70), Bullas, Gardner, Korboa (Cockerill, 75), Baker (Reynolds, 80), Osew (Pavey, 56); Subs Not Used: Burford, Lintott, Martin

Referee: Jack Willmore

Attendance: 964