Late rally not enough for Hungerford

Hungerford Town match report (by Rhod Mitchell, West Briton) Watson strikes twice to give Truro City first home win the season

Truro City 2 Hungerford Town 1

Ben Watson came off the bench to score twice, as City recorded their first home Southern League premier division win of the season on Tuesday evening.

The striker struck after 63 and 73 minutes to put City 2-0 up against the West Berkshire visitors, but then had to survive a shaky final few minutes when Mark Draycott pulled a goal back eight minutes from time.

City though held firm for a deserved win, which lifted them up to tenth in the table, just three points off top spot.

The first half was a pretty forgettable affair, with neither side really threatening as they both scrapped to try and gain some superiority.

But City boss Steve Tully made changes early in the second period, with Cody Cooke coming on for Isaac Vassell and then Watson replacing Barry Hayles.

And the two subs soon combined with Cooke putting Watson clear and he gave Paul Strudley in the visitors’ goal no chance with an emphatic finish.

It got even better ten minutes later for the home side when the impressive Shane White crossed from the right for Watson to apply the finishing touch from close range.

City looked in total command, but gifted Hungerford a goal when some comical defending allowed Lee Smith to cross from the left for Draycott to head into an empty net.

It was squeaky bum time for the home supporters, but City held on with the minimum of fuss to extend their unbeaten run to three games, ahead of Saturday’s visit of pre-season title favourites St Neots Town, who surprisingly lost 3-0 at home to Redditch tonight.

City: Moore; White, Farkins, Pugh, Long; Ash, Green (capt), Afful (James 80), Vassell (Cooke 55), Hayles (Watson 59), Duff.

Subs (not used): Tully, Searle (GK).

Yellow cards: Vassell, Hayles, Farkins.

Hungerford Town: Strudley; Stow, John, Boardman, Day, Pook, Clark, Herring, Smith, Draycott, O’Brien (Goodger 63). Subs: Graus-Parsons Stanley, Rees, Pilling.

Yellow cards: Day, Herring.

Goals: Watson (63) 1-0, Watson 74 (2-0: Draycott (82 ) 2-1.

Referee: Scott Taylor (Carlisle!).

Crowd: 342.