Brakes hold on after first-half fireworks

TRURO CITY2

Truro arrived at the New Windmill as league leaders and boasting a host of former Football League players in ther ranks.

However, off the back of four successive league wins, Brakes had no reason to feel inferior

And, benefiting from the luck which had eluded them earlier in the season, they took a 3-2 lead into the interval and comfortably held after the break to consign the Devon club to only their second league defeat of the season.

It was the visitors who were the first to show, with ex-Fulham striker Barry Hayles getting the wrong side of Liam Daly before dragging his shot wide.

Matt Lewis was denied by an offside flag in the tenth minute after sliding home a Craig Wilding flick-on, but two minutes later the home side were in front.

Guy Sanders launched a long ball forward, and with Truro pushing up to play offside, Richard Batchelor was left unmarked to head past the advancing Tom Brooks from the edge of the box.

Lewis had an excellent chance to double the lead after good work from Wilding down the right flank, but Brooks got down well to save his side-foot effort.

Tony Breeden was then called into action at the other end, pulling off an instinctive save to prevent Dan Smith’s close-range effort finding the roof of the net.

Brakes’ second goal came in the 27th minute and owed much to the persistence of Daly.

The centre-back brought the ball out to the half-way line and then galloped after his own pass to pressurise covering defender Alex Jeannin. The Truro left-back, making his first league start of the campaign, over-hit his back pass and could only look on in horror as Brooks sliced his attempted clearance into his own net.

Marcus Martin headed wide as Truro sought an immediate response and Smith saw a shot blocked after Scott Lycett was caught in possession before Brakes’ advantage was wiped out with two goals inside five minutes

First, Andrew Watkins slid in to convert Smith’s cross and then Hayles showed all his experience to expertly curl home a shot from the edge of the box shortly after Marcus Martin had been denied by the post.

Still the first-half scoring was not complete, and in the 43rd minute, referee Guy Stretton pointed to the spot after Lewis had been sent tumbling.

The decision outraged the Truro players who felt there had been minimum contact between Jeannin and the Brakes striker, and it was three minutes before order was restored, with cards dished out to Lee Downes, Jeannin and Martin.

The delay did little to effect Lewis’ concentration and he coolly stepped up to send Brooks the wrong way and re-establish the home side’s advantage.

The half-time interval allowed the 603 inside the New Windmill to catch their breath and when the sides emerged for the second half, there was a noticeable drop in tempo, with Brakes happy to cede possession to their Cornish visitors.

With former Manchester United midfielder Andrew Taylor at the heart of all their probing, Truro had the bulk of possession.

However, for all their territorial superiority, there was little to trouble Breeden and Batchelor was the next to threaten, firing just wide of the far post after winning possession on the edge of the box.

A mazy run from Smith resulted in a shot being deflected away for a corner, and from the resultant dead ball, James Husband had to be alert to clear Hayles’ overhead kick off the line.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, Breeden needed lengthy treatment after bravely coming out to deny substitute Stewart Yetton.

When play resumed, Brakes’ number one quickly launched the ball forward to substitute James Rowe, who advanced on goal and brought out a fine save from Brooks.

As Truro’s frustrations grew, Taylor was booked for a crude lunge on Batchelor and Stewart Yetton, Lycett and Marcus Jackson also found their way into the referee’s notebook as eight minutes of injury time were played out in increasingly tetchy fashion.

Brakes: Tony Breeden, Scott Lycett, Stephan Morley, Lee Downes, Guy Sanders, Liam Daly, Marcus Jackson, James Husband, Matt Lewis (Peter Faulds, 88), Craig Wilding (James Rowe, 77), Richard Batchelor. Subs not used: Alex Cowley, Chrs Murphy, Lee Williams.

Truro City: Tom Brooks, Barry McConnell, Alex Jeannin, Lee Hodges, Steve Adams,Danny Clay,(Joe Broad, 70) Andrew Taylor Marcus Martin, Barry Hayles, Andrew Watkins, (16 Stewart Yetton,78) Dan Smith (Les Afful, 83). Subs not used: Arran Pugh, Martin Rice.