Vanarama National League South

Hampton & Richmond 0 Truro City 3

Truro City were comprehensive winners over 10-man Hampton & Richmond, to strengthen the Tinners’ grip on a play-off place. 

John Askey’s side were dominant from start to finish, with Tom Harrison giving the visitors a deserved lead in the first half. 

After the rurnaround, City continued on the front foot and were rewarded when Luke Jephcott netted on his second Truro debut.

The points were made safe in the final 15 minutes thanks to Jaze Kabia’s penalty, which resulted in home substitute Alex Wall receiving his marching orders for dissent. 

But Hampton had the final say when substitute Alfie Williams grabbed a consolation six minutes from time, as the Beavers were defeated at home for the first time since October. 

Jephcott, who signed for City on loan from Newport County, was straight in from the start with Andrew Neal dropping down to the bench. At the other end of the pitch, Ben Addelsbury was ruled out with a thigh problem as Will Dean returned from suspension to slot in at centre half. 

Truro’s dominance began almost from the first whistle, but the opening chance of the game went to the hosts as striker James Roberts’ dipping volley stung the palms of Dan Lavercombe.

The rest of the opening period belonged to City with Harrison heading narrowly over from a corner before Zac Bell’s excellent cross into the box was almost met by Billy Palfrey, with Yassine En-Neyah inches away from picking up the scraps. 

Bell then called home custodian Max Merrick into action for the first time with the Chelsea loanee turning an effort from distance behind for a corner. 

That resulting flag-kick, in the 21st minute, was something off the training ground as Dean’s delivery was volleyed just over by Connor Riley-Lowe. 

With City’s high press unsettling the hosts, it was of little surprise that it was the Cornish side who broke the deadlock three minutes shy of the half hour mark. 

Kabia, running towards the corner flag, was needlessly upended by Jerry Wiltshire and City were awarded a free-kick in a promising position. Riley-Lowe then delivered with pin-point accuracy to find Harrison who glanced into the bottom corner. 

Buoyed by taking the lead, City were unfortunate not to increase their tally as Kabia’s persistence saw his goalbound effort deflected behind by Hampton skipper Dominic Revan, with Merrick beaten.

Shortly after, Palfrey was denied by Merrick after Riley-Lowe spotted the former Argyle youth team graduate’s run, which beat the offside trap. 

Further half chances for Harrison and then Jephcott came and went for Truro, with the home side relieved at the half-time whistle, such was the dominance from the visitors. 

At the break, home boss Alan Julian rung the changes, making a triple substitution although his alterations had no real impact on the game. 

City continued in the same vein and found the mark for a second time, with Jephcott marking his impressive second coming as a City player with a fine goal. Bell found Kabia down the right with the Irishman crossing for Jephcott, who expertly peeled away from his marker, to beat Merrick comprehensively. 

Amongst the joy from City’s outstanding travelling supporters, players, management and officials, you sensed a weight had been lifted off Jephcott’s Welsh born, Ponsanooth raised shoulders, into the darkening London skies, with his first goal since April 2023. 

Just minutes after scoring, Jephcott linked with Kabia and the latter fired just narrowly wide as City looked for a third. 

At the other end, Hampton had their best chance of the game as Wall put the ball on a plate for Williams eight yards out, but Lavercombe saved well to keep City two goals ahead. 

Into the final 15 minutes and after Dan Rooney had helped turn over Hampton possession in midfield, Riley-Lowe set off on a lung-bursting run which resulted in a fierce effort, saved by Merrick with a corner the end result. 

And it was a corner that would have a huge bearing on the game as from Riley-Lowe’s delivery, Wall pressed the self-destruct button and wrestled Harrison to the ground in needless fashion. 

The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and initially waved a yellow card in Wall’s direction. This was quickly upgraded to red as the burly home replacement was sent for an early bath, for his reaction and language towards the man in black. 

After the dust had temporarily settled, Kabia stepped up to send Merrick the wrong way for his 12th goal of the season and City were virtually home and hosed. 

The rest of the match was a procession for Truro, who knocked the ball around with confidence against a Hampton side who withdrew leading scoring Mauro Vilhete late on, replacing the Sao Tope and Principe international with a defender, to prevent further humiliation. 

But much to the the surprise of the 636 fans in attendance, it was Hampton who scored as time ticked down when Williams picked up a loose ball in midfield and drove forward to finish well with his left foot past Lavercombe. 

Williams’ strike didn’t take the shine off a wonderful performance and result for City, who also claimed a first ever away triumph in the league over Hampton & Richmond. 

Match Facts

City: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Dean, Harrison, Bell, Rooney, Palfrey (Neal, 84), En-Neyah, Riley-Lowe, Kabia, Jephcott (Harvey, 80). Subs not used: Bates, Law, Johnson-Fisher. 

Hampton & Richmond: Merrick, Revan, Byrd, Wiltshire (Wall, 45), Babajide (Williams, 68), Masampu, Atkinson, Hunt, Campbell (Taylor, 45), Vilhete (Page, 80), Roberts (Evans, 45). 

Referee: Kai Morgan

Attendance: 636