Match Report (by Howard Lloyd, from Exeter Express and Echo)

Tiverton Town were made to pay the penalty for wayward finishing after losing a Red Insure Cup first round tie at home to Truro on Tuesday which they really should have won.

The likes of Owen Howe, Jamie Mudge and Jimmy Hinds – who put the Yellows ahead with a header from a 12th-minute corner – were all guilty of missing gilt-edged opportunities in an expansive Tivvy display.

But, unlike their hosts, Southern League Premier Division outfit Truro looked intent on making their chances count, and goals either side of half-time from Dan Green and Barry Hayles won it for them.

As well as their relative efficiency in front of goal, the White Tigers also had a fine goalkeeping display from Kyle Moore to thank.

The shot-stopper had to be on his toes to brilliantly tip Mudge’s curling effort over the bar, while he also produced a decent block from Hinds’ header, with the midfielder somehow then planting the rebound wide of an open goal from four yards.

Howe’s erratic performance in front of goal was uncharacteristic of the Yellows’ top-scorer – he saw efforts saved, hacked off the line or just miss the target all together.

But it did illustrate a worrying trend this season that, when Howe struggles to score, Tiverton struggle to score.

That is not to say that Truro did not miss some fine chances – Chris Wright was by no means a spectator, pulling off a couple of good blocks himself.

But there was little he could do when Green picked up the rebound from his own cross to fire home into an empty net from eight yards.

And it was a nice goal that won it for the visitors, with the 42-year-old Hayles being played in before shooting across Wright and into the corner to seal the win.

Tiverton Town: Wright, Furness (Mortimer, 71), Searle, Bye, Weeks, Gardner, Phillips (Rogers, 71), Richards, O Howe, Hinds, Mudge (J Howe, 71)

Subs not used: Western, Wannell. Attendance: 187