By Gareth Davies

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

Hampton & Richmond 0 Truro City 3

TRURO City were comprehensive winners over 10-man Hampton & Richmond, to strengthen the Tinners’ grip on a play-off place.

John Askey’s side were dominant from start to finish, with Tom Harrison giving the visitors a deserved lead in the first half.

City continued to dominate and added further goals via Luke Jephcott on his second debut and Jaze Kabia, before a late Alfie Williams consolation.

Jephcott, who signed for City on loan from Newport County, was straight in from the start with Andrew Neal dropping down to the bench. At the other end of the pitch, Ben Adelsbury was ruled out with a thigh problem as Will Dean returned from suspension to slot in at centre-half.

Truro’s dominated almost from the first whistle with Harrison heading narrowly over from a corner.

Bell then called home custodian Max Merrick into action for the first time with the Chelsea loanee turning an effort from distance behind for a corner.

That resulting flag-kick, in the 21st minute, was something off the training ground as Dean’s delivery was volleyed just over by Connor Riley-Lowe.

With City’s high press unsettling the hosts, it was of little surprise that it was the Cornish side who broke the deadlock three minutes shy of the half-hour mark.

Kabia, running towards the corner flag, was needlessly upended by Jerry Wiltshire and City were awarded a free-kick in a promising position. Riley-Lowe then delivered with pin-point accuracy to find Harrison who glanced into the bottom corner.

Buoyed by taking the lead, City were unfortunate not to increase their tally as Kabia’s persistence saw his goal-bound effort deflected behind by Hampton skipper Dominic Revan, with Merrick beaten.

Shortly after, Palfrey was denied by Merrick after he beat the offside trap.

Further half chances for Harrison and then Jephcott came and went for Truro, with the home side, who made three changes at the break relieved at the half-time whistle, such was the dominance from the visitors.

City continued in the same vein and found the mark for a second time, with Jephcott marking his impressive second coming as a City player with a fine goal. Bell found Kabia down the right with the Irishman crossing for Jephcott, who beat Merrick comprehensively.

Chances came at both ends including Riley-Lowe’s fierce effort being saved by Merrick, before City added a third as from Riley-Lowe’s delivery, Wall pressed the self-destruct button and wrestled Harrison to the ground in needless fashion.

The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and initially waved a yellow card in Wall’s direction. This was quickly upgraded to red for his reaction and language to the official.

Kabia stepped up to send Merrick the wrong way for his 12th goal of the season.

Truro knocked the ball around with confidence for the remainder of the match, although they did concede late on when Williams picked up a loose ball in midfield and drove forward to finish well with his left foot past Lavercombe.

Williams’ strike didn’t take the shine off a wonderful performance and result for City, who also claimed a first ever away triumph in the league over Hampton & Richmond.

CITY: Lavercombe; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Dean, Harrison; Bell, Rooney, Palfrey (Neal, 84), En-Neyah, Riley-Lowe (capt); Kabia, Jephcott (Harvey, 80). Subs not used: Bates, Law, Johnson-Fisher.