Truro City take on Maidstone United at Treyew Road this evening (7.45pm), in one of the biggest ever football games in the county, as Steve Tully's side aim to take the next step towards a place in the National League.

City's achievements have already far surpassed those of any other Cornish club and tonight's first leg play-off semi-final tie against the Kent visitors, is expected to attract a crowd of more than a 1,000 to see if the White Tigers can continue their remarkable rise through the leagues.

With the second leg to come on Sunday at Maidstone (4pm), before a 3,000 sell out crowd, City will be looking to take a lead to the artificial pitch of the Gallagher Stadium .

It will be the teams' third meeting this season, with Maidstone doing the double over City in National League South, winning the home game 2-1 in December ending an 11-match unbeaten run by the visitors and 3-1 at Treyew last month, when City struggled to cope with the set piece plays of the Kent team - in particular the long throws of Alex Flisher.

Maidstone finished third in the table, 12 points ahead of fourth-placed City, but that will mean little tonight in what is likely to be a tense affair with neither side wanting to give anything away.

And City boss Steve Tully is expecting a nervy contest.

He said: "I thinks its going to be cagey. It's the first game and we have got to make sure we are in it for the second match.

"We know their strengths with the long ball and from set pieces, but we will make sure we are prepared and it will be the first time they have come up against Pughy (City's big central defender Arran Pugh)."

He added: "We have rested enough players and now we are ready to go. Having beaten us twice they will fancy their chances but we will give them something to think about.

"We want to be solid and go there on Sunday with a chance of winning through."

City's preparations have been hampered by injuries, with top scorer Isaac Vassell (hamstring) and fellow striker Craig Duff (ankle) both major doubts.

Connor Riley-Lowe is also struggling to be fit, but it is hoped Jake Ash will be available after a swollen knee.

In contrast, Maidstone who are travelling down by coach for the game, after flying to Cornwall on the day last month, have a virtually full squad to choose from and have been boosted by the return from injury of key defender Jamie Coyle.

And their boss Jay Saunders said: "First and foremost we've got to try and win the game.

"Whatever we do, we won't set up to try and come away with a draw, we want to go there and win.

"Your whole season's now coming down to two, possibly three, games.

"Nerves no doubt will play a part but they've got to enjoy it and go out there and work hard and have no regrets. If they do that there's no reason they can't do well."

Both teams came up via the play-offs last season and Tully believes that could stand them in good stead.

"The lads are looking forward to it. They finished fourth on merit and have had a great season and they are ready to go."

There is no away goals rule for the play-offs and if the teams finish level at the end of extra time after the end of the second leg, the tie will be decided by penalties which City practised after Saturday's home defeat by Wealdstone.

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