Hereford will stand in way of Truro again

FOR the second successive season Truro City will travel to Hereford’s Edgar Street ground in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup, writes Rhod Mitchell.

A trip to play the National League North outfit was City’s rather dubious reward in Monday’s draw for their dramatic 2-1 victory over Wimborne Town in the first qualifying round at Treyew Road last Saturday.

City will be hoping for better luck than they had last year, when they drew 0-0 at Hereford before losing the replay 4-3 after extra time at Torquay United despite leading 3-0 at half-time, when they return to Edgar Street on September 21.

The draw could have been kinder, but City will travel with confidence despite being the underdogs. However, they will have to play better than they did against Wimborne, against whom they had to thank goalkeeper James Hamon for a superb stoppage-time penalty save to ensure their progress and avoid an unwanted replay back in Dorset.

After James Ward had given City an early lead with a fine header from Will Dean’s free-kick, the visitors levelled midway through the half as Sam Bayston converted Luke Burbidge’s cross. Then, much to the delight of the home support, it was Truro’s record goalscorer Stewart Yetton who was their match-winner after coming on as a substitute.

The player-assistant manager was rewarded for chasing a seemingly lost cause when Wimborne goalkeeper Cameron Plain slipped as he allowed a long ball to bounce over his head and give Yetton the chance to put the ball into an empty net for his 230th goal for the Cornish team and surely one of the easiest.

When City skipper Jamie Richards conceded a penalty in stoppage time, Hamon dived to his left to keep out Tony Lee’s powerful spot-kick.

City manager Paul Wotton said: “It was a tough game and I didn’t enjoy any of it. We were slow on the ball, a bit lazy at times in our decisionmaking, but we found a way to win.”

Wotton was full of praise for Yetton’s performance, however, adding: “He’s an example to younger players. He works hard every day, chases lost causes, and got his reward for it on Saturday.”