Stretton at the double as Tinners complete comeback

JACK Stretton’s late brace completed a brilliant comeback as Truro City recovered from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win at leaders Maidstone United, writes Tom Howe.

The seventh placed Tinners made the journey to Kent’s county town to take on a side sat top of the tree in National League South, knowing a win could move them within two points of their opposition and with the benefit of a game in hand.

The starting eleven showed two changes from the side that dispatched Merthyr Town by two goals to nil last Tuesday’s FA Cup second qualifying round reply, with Yassine En-Neyah and Luke Jephcott coming into the team in place of Ben Starkie and Tom Dean.

There was very little to choose between the two sides throughout the opening exchanges, a fact reflected in their previous meetings, which show two wins a piece and six goals each across four outings.

Aidan Stone was the busier of the two goalkeepers, being called upon to turn a powerful effort from Ken Charles around his post inside ten minutes, while Nana Boateng warmed up with a strike headed away by Will Dean.

At the other end, En-Neyah shot into the turf and subsequent grasp of Stone’s opposite number, Lenny Holden, with the youthful custodian repeating the trick when an advancing Tom Tweedy found himself caught in two minds.

The Stones reacted to Truro’s spell of pressure with a chance of their own – Dermi Lusala bursting onto the edge of box and being brought down by Connor Riley-Lowe. Referee Greg Rollason pointed to the spot and Boateng made no mistake from eight yards.

His goal gave Maidstone the lead at the break but their advantage could ultimately have been short lived, had Harvey Greenslade’s header from close range flown just a couple of inches lower.

As it happened – and with Holden beaten – the ball crashed back off the bar, allowing Craig Fagan’s charges to fight another day.

The Tinners continued peppering Holden’s goal after the break. Greenslade came close again, having a header from a Zac Bell cross cleared off the line, before the Welshman picked out Jephcott, who nodded over the bar.

The Stones’ rearguard were finding the tenacious centre-forward play of Stretton harder and harder to deal with as, fresh from his 25th birthday earlier this month, he smelt blood and set about taking the game into his own hands.

He met Riley-Lowe’s cross with a low strike that finally dirtied the sheet of Holden in the 76th minute, before sticking his head in the path of Will Dean’s effort moments later to divert his wayward shot on target and complete the fightback.

Having broken his duck for the league season in serious style, Stretton saw himself only narrowly denied a four-timer, having a header whistle past the post with Holden beaten, and another nodded effort that swung the same way just seconds later.

Stunned, Maidstone looked to pick up whatever pieces they could in search of a way back into the tie and very nearly did enough as Stan Leech headed against the post.

Their final throw of the dice came close to doing the trick too, only for an heroic Bell to clear on the line from substitute George Fowler.