TRURO CITY 2 DORCHESTER TOWN 1

The Magpies returned from Cornwall empty-handed but came close to forcing at least a share of the spoils with a valiant display masterminded by new player-boss, Mark Jermyn.

Alan Walker-Harris replaced Shane Murphy in goal, Sam Lanahan slotted into the right full-back position and Nathan Walker returned to his more familiar number five shirt alongside Chris Dillon with Jermyn acting as sweeper.

Dorchester shook their hosts with an attacking display from the start.

In the first five minutes, the home side conceded four corners and two free-kicks.

Dan Smith, a target for the Tigers earlier in the season, was involved in most of the early threats to the City goal and it was from his third-minute delivery that Dillon headed wide.

A Smith free-kick was then met by Jack Odam, whose header was deflected wide for the first of three Magpies’ corners in rapid succession. Smith then tried his luck from long range but his drive also flew wide.

Truro’s first chance was created by former Dorchester duo Dan Green and Arran Pugh with the former delivering a left-wing corner, which the latter headed wide.

However, Dorchester were soon back on the attack with Smith delivering another corner which was half cleared to Lanahan, who sent a low 25-yard effort wide.

Odam’s through ball aimed at Smith was turned away for another corner, as was Smith’s shot shortly after.

Little was seen of the Truro strikeforce but Jermyn did well to read the danger when he cut out a through ball otherwise destined for former Weymouth winger Isaac Vassell.

A foul by Rob Farkins gave the Magpies a set-piece chance 30 yards from goal but with Smith and Jake Smeeton both hovering over the ball, it was the former who eventually failed to seriously test Tigers’ goalkeeper Charlie Burns.

Next up was a well-driven but off target shot from Jamie Gleeson and then came a moment of controversy as Dorchester appeals for a penalty were waved aside by referee Andrew Turner as Ben Watson went down under pressure from Farkins.

Quick thinking by Burns denied Odam a shooting chance on the edge of the area as Dorchester continued to press.

City went close to breaking the deadlock when Vassell shot inches wide from close range while free-kicks from Farkins and former Terra Ed Palmer were headed clear by Smeeton and Jermyn respectively.

The Dorchester player-boss was then cautioned for dissent while Lewis Morgan also saw yellow for a foul on Palmer.

Between the two bookings, Burns saved under his crossbar to keep out an Odam header from Smith’s centre.

And it was Odam who had a great chance to open the scoring early in the second half when he ran on to a through ball from Gleeson but with Burns racing out, he rounded the keeper, only to find the angle too acute and lobbed high and wide of the empty target.

Burns then punched clear a Smeeton corner but only to Lanahan, whose shot sailed over the crossbar.

Truro boss Steve Tully had made two substitutions at the interval with Les Afful and another ex-Terra Shane Krac replacing skipper Jake Ash and new signing Dan Sullivan, and both were to set to turn the game in City’s favour.

The warning bells sounded when Walker-Harris was req-uired to make his first real save of the match on 53 minutes when he dived to push aside Vassell’s low shot then when a Palmer effort deflected for a corner, the Magpies’ keeper punched clear the delivery from Green.

The breakthrough then came in the 56th minute when Vassell pounced on a mistake by Jermyn before slipping the ball to Afful to fire in from six yards.

Stunned Dorchester struggled to regain their earlier momentum although Odam’s long-range strike was cut out by Burns and Dillon headed wide from a Smeeton centre.

The Magpies’ hopes were dealt another blow on 74 minutes when Truro doubled their lead.

This time with Afful’s cross helped on by Vassell for Krac to rifle a powerful shot into the top corner from the edge of the Dorchester penalty area.

However, just two minutes later, Dorchester were awarded a free- kick for handball near the right corner flag and from Smeeton’s delivery, substitute Matt Oldring nodded home from close range.

With renewed belief, Jermyn and his fellow Magpies drove on in search of a deserved equaliser – Watson’s shot was blocked, Pugh won a duel with Dillon to meet a Smith corner and head clear while Walker, again pushed up into a late attacking role, side-footed weakly at Burns.

But deep into stoppage time, the Magpies’ fans behind the City keeper were poised to celebrate as Walker latched on to a loose ball following a half cleared free-kick from Jermyn.

But Walker’s last-ditch attempt from 18 yards agonisingly hit the outside of a post as the home side held on to claim the three points.

Truro: Burns, White, Greenslade, Ash (Afful 46), Farkins, Pugh, Green, Palmer, Sullivan (Krac 46), Vassall, Duff (Wright 71). Subs not used: Hayles, McHale

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Lanahan (Oldring 71), Smeeton, Jermyn, Walker, Dillon, Morgan, Gleeson, Watson, Odam, Smith.

Subs not used: Crittenden, Hanger, Brookes, Murphy

Bookings: Truro – Palmer (foul, 32), Greenslade (kicking ball away, 89).

Magpies – Jermyn (dissent, 41), Morgan (foul, 44), Dillon (foul, 85)

Referee: Andrew Turner (Devon)

Attendance: 474