TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Truro City vs Torquay United – National League South

Venue: Truro City Stadium

Date: Friday 18th April 2025

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 5

Draw: 0

Truro: 1

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W4 – D1 – L1

D 2-2 Salisbury H

W 1-0 Dorking Wanderers A

W 1-0 Bath City H

W 1-0 Aveley A

L 1-2 Chesham United H

W 2-0 Slough Town H

Truro – W4 – D1 – L1

W 3-0 Chippenham Town A

L 2-3 Enfield Town A

W 1-0 Salisbury H

D 0-0 Chelmsford City A

W 2-1 Worthing A

W 3-1 Hornchurch A

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (16)

Truro: Tyler Harvey (25)

TRURO FACT FILE

Year founded: 1889

Nickname: The Tinners

Last season’s league finish: 16th in National League South

Notable honours:

FA Vase winners: 2006-07

Southern League Premier Champions: 2010-11

Southern League Division South and West Champions: 2008-09

THE MANAGER – JOHN ASKEY

One of the most experienced managers in non-league football, having won the National League title with Macclesfield Town in the 2017-18 campaign and guided York City to promotion from the National League North in the 2021-22 season.

As a player, Askey made a record 679 appearances for Macclesfield and scored 155 goals and was part of the Silkmen side that won promotion to the Football League under Sammy McIlroy in the 1996-97 campaign. He later had two spells as manager at Moss Rose, between 2003 and 2004 and 2013 and 2018. His second stint in charge saw him emulate McIlroy by winning the National League title with the Silkmen in 2017-18. Askey led York City to a return to the National League following a victory over a Boston United side managed by former Gulls boss Paul Cox in the National League North play-off final in 2021-22.

Askey, who has also had spells in charge of Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale and Hartlepool United, moved to the South West to take charge of Truro following the departure of Paul Wotton to Plainmoor.

PLAYER TO WATCH – TYLER HARVEY

Former Plymouth Argyle starlet Tyler Harvey is currently in his second spell with the Tinners after re-joining the club from Bath City in 2019. Harvey broke into the Argyle side as a 17-year-old and scored his first goal for the Pilgrims against the Gulls in a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day 2012. Harvey left Home Park in 2016 to sign for Wrexham– but would return to the South West midway through the 2016-17 season when he was loaned to Bath City. His next move would see him sign for Truro City, where he stayed until 2019 when he signed for Bath on a permanent basis. He soon re-joined the White Tigers and has been the club’s top scorer in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

HARVEY STATS – Position: Striker – Date of Birth: 29/06/95 – Height: 1.85m – Former Clubs: Plymouth, Salisbury, Bath, Wrexham Truro – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances: 42, Goals 25, Yellow/Red Cards 7/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: James Hamon, Ed Palmer, Finley Craske, Cody Cooke, Matt Jay

Truro: Dan Lavercombe, Billy Palfrey, Ryan Law

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Jordan Thomas, Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston; Dan Hayfield, Oscar Threlkeld; Lirak Hasani, Matt Jay, Jordan Young; Cody Cooke

Truro City (3-5-2): Dan Lavercombe; Will Dean, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ryan Law; Zac Bell, Yassine En-Neyah, Luke Jephcott, Dan Rooney, Connor Riley-Lowe; Tyler Harvey, Jaze Kabia

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Wednesday 1st January 2025, Torquay United 1 Truro City 0

United saw in 2025 in style at Plainmoor, as 5,135 supporters watched the Gulls celebrate the New Year with a 1-0 win over Truro City. A tight encounter between the two South West title rivals was eventually decided by Jordan Young’s 80th minute solo strike, as the Gulls continued to lead the way at the top of National League South. The result was achieved despite United playing the closing stages with ten men after Jordan Thomas was dismissed with seven minutes to go after receiving a second yellow card.