A bitterly cold evening wasn't going to put me off from wandering round to the Ray Mac for the visit of Truro City. I was joined by Andy and talk soon turned to the evening two years ago when we watched Truro demolish Salisbury on their way to the Southern Premier title.
Since that promotion Truro have gone through some financial issues with their backer pulling out and it was good to hear that their new owners were local businessmen who were planning to get the club on an even keel again. The side has seen numerous players come and go this season with the uncertainty of administration but they were able to put out two experienced league players for this game in Barry Hayles and Luke McCormack. In addition, ex Whites favourite Matt Wright was named on the subs bench. While earlier results in the season hadn't gone their way, a recent game at second place Welling United finished with a narrow 4.3 defeat in injury time so neither of us were taking this top v bottom clash as a foregone conclusion.
The first few minutes saw plenty of slipping as both sets of players struggled with the frosty pitch. Salisbury took an early lead when a freekick was cleared outside of the box. A Salisbury player ran towards the ball and mindful of an onrushing defender hit the ball to his left. The ball found McPhee on the edge of the area and he chested the ball down before hitting a low shot past the keeper.
Jamie White had a couple of chances to extend the lead but his touch was just too heavy. Truro didn't manage a shot on goal until the 24th minute and two minutes later Salisbury made it 2.0 from a freekick. Andy had missed the first goal thanks to a trip to the gents and wasn't sure that my prediction of cross into the box, header, goal was likely but that's the way it turned out. A high ball was floated into the box for McPhee to score again with his head.
Salisbury were controlling the game and looked to be 3.0 up in the last minute of the half. White put the ball into the back of the net but the assistant had put his flag up, presumably for offside when he received the ball although it was clear from our position that the ball had come off a Truro leg first. The referee wasn't sure so went to the assistant and appeared to give the goal when he signalled towards the halfway line. However it turned out that he had disallowed the goal and awarded a freekick. The game turned on this moment as deep into injury time Scott swung at the ball when clearing a back pass and hit it low into Hayles's legs. The veteran striker calmly allowed the ball to bounce before chipping it over the keeper and in.
Things got worse for Salisbury as Truro levelled the game from a breakaway in the first minute of the second half. Moore cut inside a defender on the far edge of the area before placing a low shot past the keeper at the near post. Salisbury continued to press forward and their efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute, Lewis volleying in from outside the area after a Truro header attempted to clear a deep ball from danger. This lifted the mood of the locals but it didn't last long. Two minutes later Truro equalised again when Salisbury couldn't get the ball clear. A run and pullback from the left side set up Watt to smash a shot high into the top corner.
As the clock ticked down it looked like another 6 goal thriller between these sides at the Ray Mac. Truro won a corner but a poor cross ended up in Mark Scott's hands. He ran forward and launched a throw towards an unmarked Lewis who took the ball down the left wing before passing infield to Clarke. He played a superb ball into the box with just enough pace to beat the defence. White ghosted past the covering defender, took the ball and hit a shot past the keeper into the far corner. The crowd celebrated as if the goal had won the title while crestfallen Truro players slumped to their knees. A dramatic end to a great game of football.
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