Truro's unbeaten start comes to an end after stoppage-time defeat at Dorking Wanderers

GEORGE Francomb scored in the third minute of second half stoppage-time to hand Truro City their first defeat since returning to National League South.

Truro visited Meadowbank as one of just three unbeaten teams in the division, alongside Folkestone and Chelmsford, and made six changes from the side that dismantled leaders Dagenham and Redbridge 3-0 two days earlier.

Omar Bogle, who nodded home the Tinners’ third with his first touch in Truro’s colours, was rewarded with a full debut for his new side, with Harvey Greenslade, Zac Bell, Ben Starkie, Max Kinsey and Tom Dean joining him in City blue.

Out went Yassine En-Neyah, one of Saturday’s scorers, plus Tyler Harvey, Shaun Donnellan, Luke Jephcott, Jack Stretton and Tom Tweedy for a Tinners side sat third in the standings with three wins and a draw from their opening four matches.

Dorking began the day in seventh place, having recorded two wins, a draw and two defeats from five outings. They made five alterations to their line-up, including returns for summer signing Josh Barrett from Aldershot Town and Ollie Pybus, who played under Tinners boss John Askey at York City.

The hosts, who had lost both of their home league outings this season, had some defending to do early doors, as the first chance of the game fell the way of Bogle, who rose highest to nod Will Dean’s cross just wide of Glenn Morris’ upright.

Morris, who will turn 43 in December, was very nearly caught out in the minutes that followed as a wicked Tom Dean corner threatened to deceive him. The home custodian showed good reactions though, clawing the ball away from under his crossbar to maintain parity.

His side responded in kind, Alfie Rutherford seeing a shot deflected wide by Tom Harrison at the expense of a corner that eventually fell to Pinchard. He forced Stone into making a smart save with a strong right hand, Max Kinsey later clearing up after Rutherford saw a further shot charged down by Harrison.

Greenslade went on to spurn two presentable opportunities either side of the half-time oranges, with a free header flashing a touch over Morris’ crossbar, prior to a snapshot from 12 yards that cannoned back off the post.

The second half was punctuated by a string of substitutions that stretched the game and resulted in a flurry of missed chances at both ends of the pitch – leaving a draw to seem almost inevitable.

George Nikaj tried his luck twice but met an immovable Aidan Stone, while Harvey’s first involvement was to meet Jephcott’s set-piece with a free header that flashed past the post. En-Neyah soon worked some magic and showed good reflexes to meet the ball on the half volley, bringing a superb stop out of an equally acrobatic Morris.

One final throw of the dice went the way of Dorking, for whom a corner in the dying embers was diverted home by Francomb at the back post. A cruel way to lose any game of football.

Truro go again, at home to Chesham United, on Saturday (3pm).

TRURO CITY: Stone; Bell (En-Neyah, 68), Riley-Lowe (capt), W Dean, Harrison, Bogle (Harvey, 68), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Greenslade (Stretton, 68), Starkie (Jephcott, 60), Kinsey, T Dean. Subs not used: Lavercombe (gk), Donnellan, Tweedy.