New league leaders Truro City inflicted the first defeat of the league season on the Fleet but it was an unmatched contest for three-quarters of the game following James Vennings’ sending-off after a quarter of an hour. He was followed near the final whistle by Camron Gbadebo for a second yellow as the long journey proved too much for the visitors at the end of a busy but otherwise hugely successful month.
Josh Wright made one change to his starting side with Finlay Barnes in for Lennon Peake and it was Barnes with the first shot of the match, comfortably gathered by Aiden Stone in the home goal.
The Fleet began well while the teams were even but the big talking point of the half arrived with 16 minutes on the clock as the visitors found themselves down to 10 men. James Vennings was shown a straight red card following a challenge on Tom Tweedy and the referee reacted following strong appeals from the Truro players after taking his time to decide. It appeared the Fleet player slipped but his foot was high, leading to the referee’s decision.
Truro looked to make the man advantage count straight away with top scorer Tyler Harvey heading two close-range efforts off target. Will Buse prepared for a busy period by being called into action but he timed his save well to stop Tweedy from an attack down the right.
The closest chance of the match for the Fleet fell to Ben Chapman moments before the interval when he sent his curling effort just wide of the mark.
Truro came close in the opening moments of the second-half to grabbing an early goal when Tyler Harvey’s close-range effort clipped the woodwork before being cleared.
Despite Truro’s advantage, it was the Fleet who thought they had the opener on 55 minutes. Daniel Ogunleye raced on to a great ball from Barnes and sent a shot into the top-right but he was flagged offside, a decision that appeared harsh from later video analysis.
Unfortunately for the travelling fans, their cheers were returned by the home contingent as Truro took the lead in the next attack. Harvey was the man to do it, looping an effort towards goal and in.
Ogunleye tried his luck again at the other end but couldn’t keep his effort low from inside the box as the visitors’ substitutions tried to turn the game their way.
But a second goal killed that off when Tom Harrison snuck a ball home at the near post following a Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain throw-in.
The afternoon became more difficult as a penalty for the hosts was awarded following a foul by Ben Chapman. Harvey stepped up to take that and he sent Buse the wrong way.
It ended with the visitors down to nine men as Camron Gbadebo received a second yellow card, to leave Truro celebrating as the first side to send Josh Wright’s side to defeat, and having earned their first ever win over the Fleet.
Fleet can pick themselves up again on Tuesday night when the remorseless run of games continues at Frnborough.
EUFC: Buse, Passley, Gbadebo, Tizzard, Vokins (Seaman), Kennedy (Hessenthaler), Vennings, Chapman, Barnes (Walker), Ogunleye (Samuel). Subs: Hall
TCFC: Stone, Riley-Lowe, Harrison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Law, W.Dean, Starkie, Tweedy, Jephcott, Greenslade, Harvey. Subs: Donnellan, En-Neyah, Blake, Stretton, Kinsey, T.Dean, Lavercombe
Attendance: 1,885
Photos: ©EUFC / Tom Harris
