Match report by Luke Hosken

Chelmsford 1-2 Truro

Chelmsford: Dibble (gk), Girdlestone, Palmer, Hughes (c), Ekpiteta, McAuley, Marlow, Sawyer, Thalassitis, Whichelow, Skepelhorn.

Subs: Morgan, Graham on 68, Haines on 68, Brown, Daley on 69.

Truro: Rice, Mitchell, Riley-Lowe, Brett, Richards, Pugh (c), Knowles, Green, Duff, Reid, Cooke.

Subs: Wright, Vassell on 64, White on 85, Afful on 81 , Barrow.

Goals: Skepelhorn (5); Reid (20), Brett (29).

Attendance 636

City made it nine games unbeaten in the Vanarama National League South with a 2-1 win at Chelmsford City on a windy day in Essex.

It was clear even from the games opening moments that the wind was always going to play a part. Chelmsford kicked off with the wind behind their backs and had the better of the opening exchanges. 5 minutes in and the lead was theirs, some poor Truro defending as centre-halves Richards and Pugh were left looking foolish as a simple through-ball split the two, leaving Clarets’ Hugo Skepelhorn one-on-one with Martin Rice. Rice saved the first attempt but the ball landed straight back at the feet of the striker who tucked it home.

The driving wind continued to hamper City’s forward progress with Chelmsford dominating the game. But the Tigers were determined not to let the dominance continue, easing back into the game with a spell of good possession. The first big chance for City came in the 20th minute, a free kick on the edge of the ‘D’ was to be struck by Jamie Reid and the striker’s effort flew into the top corner with Chelmsford’s keeper stranded, leveling the game at 1-1.

City’s dominance continued, and after a brief scare, as a stray Chelmsford cross hit the bar, it was 2-1 City a lovely flick and through-ball from Cody Cooke sent Ryan Brett through and the left-sider coolly passed the ball through Chelmsford ‘keeper Christian Dibble’s legs and gave Truro the lead in the 29th minute.

Steve Tully’s boys continued to have the better of the half and were unlucky not to make it 3-1 just before the break, a corner dropping to Jamie Richards on the half-volley, but the centre-half lent back and sent his shot over the bar.

As the sides came out for the second half the clouds that had lined the sky above began to clear and the wind calmed, leaving City with less of a brisk advantage than the home side had had before the break. It was Chelmsford who started the second half brightest too, they surged down their left but goalscorer Skepelhorn couldn’t grab an equaliser.

Chelmsford continued to have the better of the game, but chances were few and far between, defender Rory McAuley had a low shot saved by Martin Rice. The Tigers didn’t really have much to show for their 30 minutes of second half efforts though and the score remained at 1-2.

City wasted a golden opportunity to clinch victory just three minutes later. Dan Green played in Craig Duff and the flag stayed down, the Chelmsford defence recovered, but Duff turned his man, but ballooned the effort high over the bar.

Truro were left with only ten men for the last 5 minutes as the enthusiastic Skepelhorn skipped past Arran Pugh who brought the striker down and picked up his second yellow, his first picked up in extremely similar first-half circumstances. Matty Whichelow hit the resulting freekick, but Martin Rice saw it over the bar.

The Tigers had the chance to make it 3-1 late on but the chance was lost and the game remained 2-1, as Chelmsford captain Mark Hughes missed a great opportunity to claim a last minute equaliser, and Truro held on to make it nine league games unbeaten.