A Lirak Hasani brace was in vain as a late Kai Jennings winner saw Sutton United leave Truro with a narrow 3-2 victory under their belts, writes Tom Howe.

The visitors looked virtually home and hosed in the early stages of the second half, with goals from Jayden Harris and Jennings giving them a healthy advantage over a City side stricken by the loss of Dom Johnson-Fisher to what appears a serious injury.

Never ones to throw in the towel, the Tinners responded in style as Hasani grabbed the game by the scruff and hauled his side level with two opportunist strikes – each assisted by Connor Riley-Lowe.

With the bit between their teeth, fate was to deliver a cruel blow City’s way as, virtually straight from kick off, Jennings added a second of his own to send the three points home with Sutton.

Seven days on from the disappointment of a 2-0 reverse at Braintree Town, John Askey’s charges returned to the Truro City Stadium looking to end a run of three consecutive losses.

His starting eleven showed five changes, with Tyler Harvey returning from the off alongside Cole Deeming, who made his full debut just days after joining on loan from Championship club West Bromwich Albion. Zac Bell was back in too, as were Hasani and Johnson-Fisher - Ryan Law, Max Kinsey, Yassine En-Neyah, Luke Jephcott and Rekeil Pyke those to miss out.

Chances came and went for a City side with the upper hand in the first half but there was little to seriously test visiting custodian Tommy Reid either side of a stinging shot from Will Dean which was tipped past the post and a Harvey sighter that went wide.

Sutton’s best opportunity had fallen to David Ogbonna, who burst forward and shot into the side netting. But in the dying embers of the opening stanza and amidst a rather sombre atmosphere they forged ahead. With Johnson-Fisher laying motionless on the turf, Harris went on to beat Lavercombe to break the deadlock.

Johnson-Fisher received treatment on a serious looking injury to his right leg from both sets of medical teams, before being stretched off to applause from all four corners of the ground.

Further pain was inflicted just moments into the second half as Jennings unleashed an unstoppable shot that got the better of Lavercombe and made City’s task that bit more challenging.

The Tinners showed immense spirit and rallied well as Hasani headed home Riley-Lowe’s cross to pull one back three minutes after the hour. Lavercombe needed to be on his toes at the other end and a set of fine saves helped provide the catalyst for Truro’s leveller.

As the old saying goes, if you don’t buy a ticket, you won’t win a prize and so it seemed as Reid found Hasani’s shot from 20 yards too hot to handle, the Kosovan midfielder rewarded for trying his luck as the ball squirmed over the line with the clock showing 81.

Back on level terms, with a vociferous home crowd behind them, it seemed almost fate that City would go on and claim a famous win to reignite their National League campaign. Sutton had other ideas though, and Jennings provided the telling touch to turn home what proved to be the winner.

Tinners: Lavercombe, Bell, Riley-Lowe, Dean, Rooney (Janneh, 90), Harvey, Johnson-Fisher (Jephcott, 45), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hasani, Donnellan, Deeming (En-Neyah, 73). Subs not used: Stone, Taylor, Law, Kinsey.

Sutton United: Reid, Simper, Pruti, Taylor, Ogbonna, Harris, Taylor, Ecclestone, Jannings, Foyo (Njoku, 61), Muller (Tizzard, 86). Subs not used: Sims, Vaz, Jones, Crichlow, Bell.

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 2,089 (94 away fans)