Billy Palfrey’s stoppage time strike ensured the Boxing Day spoils were shared between Truro City and Weston-super-Mare. 

The Seagulls had taken the lead, amid misty conditions in the Duchy, nine minutes before the interval. 

But City, who have developed a canny knack of scoring late in matches so far this term, kept up with that particular trait when Palfrey, who scored in similar circumstances against Chippenham on Bonfire Night, bagged his second of the season. 

Before the late drama, City boss John Askey made two changes to his side which had defeated St Albans City last time out on December 21. 

Ryan Law, who was an unused substitute against the Saints, was back in the starting line-up for the first time since mid-November. Law slotted into his familiar left-sided role as Connor Riley-Lowe moved to the right and Levi Andoh dropped down to the bench. 

Up front, Jaze Kabia was only fit enough to join Andoh amongst the replacements with Andrew Neal, fresh from his first goal of 2024-25 against St Albans, partnering Tyler Harvey in attack. 

In front of City’s third home attendance of over 2,000 in 2024-25, both teams made a tepid start before proceedings burst into life after 15 minutes. 

Neal chased a long ball which was easily gathered by visiting custodian Max Harris but as he was running through, Weston skipper  Emlyn Lewis stepped into the pint-sized hitman’s path. Leading with his elbow, the Welshman poleaxed Neal and curiously, referee Steven Hughes didn’t brandish a card of any colour, but did award City a free-kick which Harvey could only fire into the wall. 

Lewis can count himself lucky in the extreme because on another day, in better visibility, he would have surely been handed his marching orders. 

For the next 20 minutes, City bossed the game but couldn’t seriously test Harris despite working several good shooting opportunities. Dan Rooney skewed an effort wide as both Harvey and Neal were denied by last-ditch Weston defending. 

Riley-Lowe found Harris’ gloves before Weston broke the deadlock, albeit in controversial circumstances. 

Harvey Greenslade, the former City loanee who recently joined Weston after falling down the pecking order at Yeovil, clearly handled the ball on the edge of the box. Play continued but City coughed up possession and referee Hughes played on. 

Luke Coulson broke and found Greenslade who squared for veteran striker Reuben Reid to finish well past Dan Lavercombe in the City goal. 

The half finished with a home penalty appeal for a push on Harvey waved away and a teasing Will Dean corner which Harris looked far from comfortable in dealing with. 

After the turnaround, the mist fell heavier and the game became scrappy as Weston appeared to be content to sit on their 1-0 lead. 

With City struggling to break down a stubborn Weston rearguard, both Dom Johnson-Fisher and Jaze Kabia were thrust into the fray as home chief John Askey once again rolled his attacking dice. 

It had the desired outcome, too, as Kabia’s delightful ball was taken off the head of Johnson-Fisher at the back post by the visitors with 15 minutes to go. 

Kabia then worked City’s best opportunity of the game as time ticked down when he got past Ollie Chamberlain on the left and pulled it back for Palfrey who seemed certain to score. 

However, the Cornish midfielder couldn’t connect cleanly and hammered the ball into the ground and wide. 

Weston, collectively, breathed a huge sigh of relief and for City, there was a realisation that it probably wasn’t going to be their day. 

Palfrey (pictured below, centre) and Johnson-Fisher chiefly, had other ideas though. 

Harvey flicked the ball into Johnson-Fisher’s path and with lightning feet, he glided past three would-be Weston defenders before squaring to Palfrey who hammered home. 

Not for the first time this season, absolute bedlam at the TCS and incredibly, City had a chance to snatch all three points. 

A Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain long-throw was only cleared to Riley-Lowe, but his volley was gathered by a relieved Harris with the final whistle sounding just moments later. 

Match Facts

City: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harrison, Sanders, Riley-Lowe, Dean, Palfrey, Rooney (Adelsbury, 90), Law (Kabia, 69), Neal (Johnson-Fisher, 67), Harvey. Subs not used: Love-Holmes, Andoh. 

Weston-super-Mare: Harris,Lewis, Avery, Araoye, Chamberlain, Kadji, Jagger-Cane, Dodd, Coulson, Reid, Greenslade. Subs not used: Thomas, Bastin, Bak, McCootie. 

Referee: Steven Hughes

Attendance: 2,313