Late substitute Craig Duff ensured that Truro City continued their promotion push towards the Conference South with a 2-1 victory against Biggleswade Town.

Biggleswade scored the opener after consistent Truro pressure, as Kelvin Bossman led their counter-attack and relayed the ball into the onrushing Lee Allinson who produced a delightful 25-yard finish.

Truro responded instantly as Matthew Wright headed home Shane White’s cross to equalize. City sealed the tie as Duff feigned to shoot and coolly rounded Ian Brown to slot the ball into the empty net.

Truro’s assistant manager Wayne Carlisle said: “Three points is important at this stage of the season and the direction we want to go. We took a bit of time to get ourselves going but over the course of the game we deserved the three points.”

Truro dominated the early exchanges against Biggleswade by utilizing lofted through balls to exploit Vassell’s pace against the Waders defence.

The first chance came as Vassell was slotted clean through by Jake Ash, yet the former Plymouth Argyle forward squandered his chance as he skewed his shot into the grasp of Brown.

Rob Farkins had a deflected shot saved by Brown as the powerful centre-half pounced on a loose ball from a corner as Truro piled the pressure on Biggleswade’s defence.

The biggest chance of the half came as Cody Cooke crossed the ball into Wright. His side footed volley was denied by a brilliant save from the resilient Brown.

Truro started the second half as they left the first, by dominating possession and testing the Waders high defensive line which continued to catch Vassell and Wright offside.

Biggleswade counter-attacked against Truro’s pressure by clearing the ball towards Bossman in the 61st minute. The pacey striker led the break and squared the ball into Allinson’s path, who lashed the ball past Tom McHale from 25 yards out.

Truro quickly responded to conceding by scoring the equalizer in the 68th minute, after White crossed the ball into Wright who headed into the bottom left corner past Brown.

Duff was substituted on for Cooke in the 78th minute and made an instant impact. Truro’s top goalscorer sealed his 19th goal of the season in the 81st minute, after he rounded the onrushing Brown before slotting home the winner.

Carlisle summarized Duff’s contribution: “He pops up to score important goals. He knows where the net is. He’s been fantastic this year.”

Truro’s victory coincided with play-off rivals Hungerford losing 1-0 to relegation contenders Frome. Weymouth also failed to maintain a two goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Dunstable Town. Victory sees Truro move into 4th in the Evo Stik Southern Premier League.

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Duff the Defier Gets Win for City
by Sam Moore

Late substitute Craig Duff secured a 2-1 victory for Truro City at Treyew Road yesterday after a tough encounter with Biggleswade Town.

The first half ended 0-0 in a lengthy 50-minute battle mostly dominated by the white tigers.

Truro appeared to be falling for Biggleswade’s offside trap far too often, allowing the visitors to gain possession and secure the first goal of the game via Lee Allinson on 61 minutres.

Truro answered back with an instant equaliser and it was looking like a draw until the 81st minute when late substitute Duff secured the win.

“Three points is important at this stage of the season and the direction we want to go,” said Truro’s Assistant Manager Wayne Carlisle. “Yes we took a bit of time to get ourselves going but over the course of the game we deserved the three points. It keeps our record at home so this is a place that teams don’t really want to come to now.”

Truro City dominated a goalless first half, with six attempts falling short or being stopped by the opposing keeper Ian Brown.

The first of these attempts came early from City’s Dan Green, followed closely by Isaac Vassell, who had arguably the best chance of the first half in the 6th minute.

Truro continued their domination well into the second quarter, with on-target attempts from Rob Farkins and blistering runs from Vassell ultimately proving fruitless.

Truro began the second half as they had finished the first, winning the majority of possession. However the ‘waders appeared to have their defence organised well, with Truro being snared by their offside trap on several occasions.

Biggleswade’s Kelvin Bossman broke free in the 61st minute, helping Allinson claim the first goal of the match. The white tigers answered in the best way possible, however, with a goal from Mathew Wright in the 68th minute equalising the score. It was the 12th goal of the season for the City striker.

City’s Cody Cooke came off in the 76th minute, replaced by Craig Duff, Truro’s top goal scorer of the season. It was a wise move on the management’s part as it lead to a cool-headed Duff weaving the ball around the defending keeper for an 81st minute winner. It was the 19th goal this season for Duff, who cemented his reputation as a top-class striker.

Assistant Coach Wayne Carlisle was pleased with Duff’s late performance: “He pops up to score important goals… had Craig done enough in previous games to start the game? Well, he’d scored a lot of goals but there’s more than just scoring goals so we’ve got to look at the whole performance. He certainly staked a claim today so we’ll have to let the manager decide that one.”

Yesterday’s win will boost Truro’s hopes of promotion into the Conference South, particularly with rivals Weymouth drawing with Dunstable and Hungerford losing to Frome on the same day. Truro are now 4th place in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier League.

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Truro City 2 Biggleswade Town 1 by Rhod Mitchell, West Briton.

A dramatic late winner from substitute Craig Duff earned City a priceless three points in their hunt for a place in the end of season plays-off, as they came from behind to beat a determined Biggleswade side.

Duff pounced, with just seven minutes left, as he finished off a fine move to round Biggleswade keeper Ian Brown and find the empty net for his 19th goal of the season.

It completed a fine comeback by the home side, who had gone 1-0 down on the hour mark to a superb strike by Lee Allinson, with Matt Wright's header levelling four minutes later.

And the victory, City's ninth in their last ten matches at Treyew, was enough to lift them a place up the table to fourth.

Rivals Weymouth threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at home to Dunstable, while Hungerford lost 1-0 at Frome.

The new leaders are Corby Town, who came from behind to beat bottom club Burnham 3-1

They replaced Poole Town, who were without a match, but have played four games more.

With it so close at the top, City needed badly the win against the Bedfordshire side and in the first half had the better chances.

The fit again Isaac Vassell was denied by Biggleswade keeper Ian Brown when put through by Wright.

And the visitors' No1 produced a breathtaking save to keep out Wright's volley, as he dived to his left to turn the striker's effort around the post.

Biggleswade though also carried an attacking threat with young City keeper Tom McHale, on only his second league start , blocking Kelvin Bossman's close range effort and also deny Jay Davies at close range.

In the second half, City continued to press, but were undone after 61 minutes when a quick break from a City corner ended with Allinson thundering a tremendous 25-yard strike past a helpless McHale.

City though responded also immediately with Wright getting on the end of a Shane White cross from the right to power a header past Brown.

It was game on and it was Duff who was the City hero as he ended a lean spell to seal a victory which could well prove pivotal come the end of April.

City: McHale; Farkins, Pugh, Greenslade (Brett 69) , White, Green, Ash (capt), Krac, Cooke (Duff 78), Wright, Vassell (Afful 65). Subs (not used): Hayles, Moore.

Yellow cards: Farkins, Greenslade, Krac, Pugh.

Biggleswade Town: Brown; Roberts, Mawer, Gentle (capt), Coulson, Allinson, Thorn, Daniel (McNulty 52), Hutton, Bossman (Farell 63), Davies. Subs: (not used): Bamford, Ibrahaim, Ford

Yellow cards: Roberts, Davies, Hutton, Allinson.

Referee: Sam Allison.

Crowd: 432.

Chairman's Man of the match: Rob Farkins.