Truro City’s long midweek trip to Hertfordshire ended in a narrow defeat to Boreham Wood at a rain-soaked Meadow Park.

Charles Clayden’s 48^th minute strike settled a tight affair, one that City carved out the clearer goalscoring opportunities. But an inspired performance from home custodian Nathan Ashmore, who picked up the home side’s player of the match honours, thwarted City.

He denied both Jaze Kabia and Yassine En-Neyah during the first half and after City had fallen behind in the second stanza, substitute Andrew Neal too.

As proceedings wore on, the hosts were content to sit on their 1-0 lead and they did well to shut the Tinners out and inflict a first league defeat on John Askey’s side since early September.

The City chief was forced to shuffle his pack for a first visit to Meadow Park for close to 12 years. Will Dean sat out through suspension for picking up five yellow cards while Connor Riley-Lowe was unavailable.

Tylor Love-Holmes, an unused substitute in the win over Welling the previous Saturday came into the starting line-up along with Dan Rooney, who was used at Park View Road.

On a playing surface only bettered in National League South by the Truro City Stadium, the game took a while to burst into life but just after the 15-minute mark, both sides had excellent chances.

City were first to show when a clearance from Dan Lavercombe was flicked on by En-Neyah who found Tyler Harvey. Truro’s leading scorer then played in his fellow strike partner Kabia who unleashed a powerful drive which Ashmore beat away.

But straight back up the other end and a delightful ball from rangy striker Lee Ndlovu found Tom Whelan, who blasted over from the edge of the box.

In the most entertaining spell of the whole game, City were then denied for a second time by Ashmore after 21 minutes.

Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain (pictured below), playing the first game of his renewed loan spell exchanged passes with En-Neyah and the former Nottingham Forest midfielder’s daisy cutter was heading for the bottom corner, before a strong hand from Ashmore denied City again.

Jayden Richardson and Ndlovu both fired weak efforts at Lavercombe as the half wore on while Harvey, the current National League South Player of the Month, lifted a sighter over.

After the turnaround, the deadlock was broken after just three minutes when a quick throw saw Ndlovu cross for Clayden to sweep home at the back post.

Almost immediately, Harvey was withdrawn and replaced by Neal, who took the captain’s armband. And the pint-sized hitman came close to restoring parity after 55 minutes.

An Oxlade-Chamberlain throw was helped into the six-yard box and there was Neal to seemingly break his duck for 2024-25. However, Ashmore had other ideas and a world-class one-handed stop saw the ball turned over for a corner.

Even with plenty of time left in the game, the Wood incumbent’s intervention felt decisive and ultimately, it was the match turning moment.

From that point onwards, the hosts repelled all City threw at them, while the visitors never looked like conceding at the other end.

Despite this defeat – just City’s second on the road in the league so far this season – results elsewhere means Askey’s charges go into the FA Trophy weekend still very well-placed, occupying second place in the National League South standings.

Match Facts

City: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harrison, Sanders, Love-Holmes (Johnson-Fisher, 56), En-Neyah, Palfrey, Rooney (Kuleya, 84), Law, Kabia, Harvey (Neal, 52). Subs not used: Jones, Yetton.

Boreham Wood: Ashomre, Payne, Bush, Whealan, Sagaf (Mafuta, 74), Ndlovu (Marsh, 83), Hare, Appiah, O’Connell, Clayden (Ilesanmi, 79), Richardson. Subs not used: Agbontohoma, Dixon.

Referee: Jack Willmore

Attendance: 601