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Match Preview: Truro City v Wealdstone

Match Preview: Truro City v Wealdstone

Colin Bradbury29 Apr 2016 - 15:10
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Wealdstone are tomorrow's visitors to Treyew Road

After a nail-biting few weeks, having secured fourth place in the National League South on Thursday, Truro City will be able to relax a little tomorrow. The focus will be on Whitehawk and Hemel Hempstead’s battle for fifth place and the final play off spot. With both teams on 61 points, a win for either secures a place in the semis. It’s advantage Whitehawk though as their superior goal difference means that a draw would be enough for them. If you want an outside bet, Dartford can (mathematically speaking) still sneak through on the rails if Whitehawk and Hemel draw, though they would have to win by five clear goals.

There’s drama at the other end of the table as well, with Margate, St Albans and Havant all potential claimants of the unwanted third relegation spot.

Turning to our own match, we welcome Wealdstone FC to Treyew Road, together with what is expected to be a large contingent of travelling supporters, for the last match of the regular season.

Anyone who watched the first meeting of the two clubs in February won’t easily forget the drama of that day. With Truro 4-0 down after 48 minutes on a blustery day in west London, Isaac Vassell’s 58th minute goal looked like little more than a consolation. But that was before a three goal blitz beginning in the 81st minute, courtesy of Pugh, Ash and Brett, pulled the White Tigers level at 4-4.

Wealdstone are currently 15th in the table. It has been a fairly uneventful League campaign for the club this season with most of the year spent just below mid-table. Having said that, it was only after winning a point against St Albans last weekend that the club were mathematically certain of avoiding relegation so it has been a nail-biting few weeks for the club.

Wealdstone, of course, made a memorable foray into the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup where they met Colchester United. With the game covered by the BBC, and the club hosting that day’s Football Focus, Wealdstone did a fine job of flying the flag for non-league.

Coming into today’s match, Wealdstone have taken two points from the last four games compared to Truro’s five points. Looking at the two team’s performances overall so far this season, while Truro and Wealdstone’s goals per game average is similar; the difference has been at the back. It’s Truro’s superior defensive record that has been key. One encouraging stat (for Truro!) is that Wealdstone have struggled to pick up three points on the road this season and have an away win ratio of just 25%.

Wealdstone’s joint top scorer with 11 league goals (including one against Truro in February) is Jefferson Louis. The striker joined the club in December 2013 in what was, astonishingly, his 36th career move. The club website claims that the 36 year old likes to 'bully defenders with his height, strength and pace.'

Also with 11 goals, is midfielder Bradley Hudson-Odoi who can play on either wing or as a centre forward. The 27-year-old Ghanaian, a former Fulham trainee, joined Wealdstone at the start of this season from Met Police where he scored 12 goals last season.

Next in line is Jonny Wright with eight league goals.

Since the teams met in February, probably the most interesting personnel change has been the arrival of 20-year-old winger Nathan Mavila from West Ham. The youngster, who had a loan period at Wealdstone last season, has not seen much action with the Premiership side so has returned to Grosvenor Vale in search of playing time.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the presence of Gordon Bartlett who, remarkably, is in his 21st year as manager of Wealdstone. With three decades in non-league management, he has immense experience at this level.

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