TYLER Harvey’s first half strike provided the perfect late Christmas present for a Truro City side that held on to beat West Country rivals Yeovil Town 1-0 and move within three points of safety.

The Tinners were made to work hard for their second win in three National League outings, with the Glovers throwing the proverbial kitchen sink their way in the second half, but to ultimately no avail in front of a 3,148-strong crowd.

Truro skipper Connor Riley-Lowe was one of four changes manager John Askey made to a Tinners side beaten 4-0 at York City last time out. Will Dean, Yassine En-Neyah and Harvey were also back in, with Luke Jephcott, Max Kinsey and Cole Deeming reverting to the bench. Dan Rooney missed out altogether.

The hosts dominated the first half and pinned the visiting Glovers into their own half. Their first opportunity arrived inside the opening five minutes, as Dom Johnson-Fisher slid the ball into the box where a lurking Harvey got a shot away that struck Ward and bounced clear.

The pressure continued to grow and grow at the other end meanwhile, with Yassine En-Neyah’s shot spinning wide via a deflection.

The Tinners were inches away from going ahead from the subsequent corner, with Ward getting a hand to Riley-Lowe’s header. His sheet was dirtied from the following delivery however, as Harvey stabbed City ahead from close-range to score for the first time since early September.

At the other end, former Yeovil keeper Aidan Stone was on his toes to keep out Brett McGavin’s tamely-struck effort from distance and James Plant’s shot wide.

Ryan Law was also catching the eye for City and popped up down the left channel when chasing down an apparent lost cause from Dean. His persistence paid off and allowed him to play in Johnson-Fisher, whose low drive was tipped on to the post by an excellent Ward.

However, after the break it was the Glovers who carved out chance after chance in their quest for an equaliser, including Josh Tobin heading Plant’s cross over the bar.

Johnson-Fisher could have provided some much-needed breathing space but, having peeled away at the back post, couldn’t quite make the connection necessary to beat Ward. His opposite number was called back into action in the next attack but only to meet a speculative cross and to watch substitute Aaron Jarvis’ daisycutter arrow past the post.

It was all hands to the pump as the Glovers huffed and puffed but blow the City house down they didn’t as 11 warriors adorned in black and red stood firm.

In fact, it was the Tinners who came closest to adding to their tally when En-Neyah’s 20-yard half-volley brought an outstanding fingertip save out of Ward.

There was one final chance for the Glovers however, and it fell to skipper James Wannell, who headed a corner on to Stone’s crossbar.

That was as close as the visitors came, as four minutes of additional time were marshalled professionally, with only a Jarvis free-kick into the side-netting to speak of for a Glovers side kept largely at arm’s length.

TRURO CITY: Stone, Riley-Lowe (capt), Dean, Harrison, En-Neyah, Harvey, Johnson-Fisher, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hasani, Law, Donnellan. Subs not used: Lavercombe, Bell, Palfrey, Jephcott, Kinsey, Marsh, Deeming.