By Gareth Davies at the Truro City Stadium

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH (SATURDAY)

Truro City 1 Hemel Hempstead Town 0

JAZE Kabia’s sixth goal of the season was enough to see Truro City record consecutive wins in National League South.

In testing conditions, the Tinners were good value for all three points against a Hemel Hempstead side who arrived in the Duchy top of the pile, and without a defeat to their name in 2024-25.

Kabia seized upon a long throw from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain to fire City ahead early in the piece. The dominant hosts had further chances before the interval to extend their advantage, after playing with the wind during the opening 45.

In the second stanza, with the conditions in their favour, Hemel did have more of the ball, but City custodian Dan Lavercombe was left untroubled. The visitors found Truro’s defensive trio of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tom Harrison and Sanders, in imperious form.

Indeed, his opposite number Craig King was the busier incumbent, denying Kabia and replacement Dom Johnson-Fisher.

City chief John Askey made one change from the side which defeated Avelely on September 21 with Connor Riley-Lowe replacing Tylor Love-Holmes, who dropped out of the squad altogether.

There was also a welcome return to the matchday 16 for Andrew Neal, who has missed the last month of the campaign through illness. Pharrell Johnson was named on the bench after missing out against the Millers.

Truro settled into the game quickly and after just three minutes, Sam Sanders headed narrowly over from an Oxlade-Chamberlain long throw.

If that was a warning for the Tudors, it was one they didn’t heed as just 10 minutes later, the deadlock was broken.

Once again, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s long throw delivery caused havoc in the Hemel box and the loose ball was seized upon by Kabia at the back post, who finished well past King.

That was the first goal Bobby Wilkinson’s side have shipped on the road this season and they were fortunate not to concede again as Truro looked threatening every time they went forward.

Just shy of the half hour mark, Riley-Lowe found Yassine En-Neyah with the former Nottingham Forest man seeing his powerful shot blocked. The rebound fell nicely to Ryan Law who was denied by a brilliant King save.

Hemel kept their powder almost bone dry in the opening 45, but they did have a chance after 31 minutes. City coughed up the ball and Alfie Cerulli drove towards goal, curling his shot past the post after it took a deflection.

Tyler Harvey then headed Will Dean’s free-kick straight into King’s arms before Truro’s number nine was picked out by Riley-Lowe, but the ball was deflected wide.

Hemel huffed and puffed in search of a leveller after half-time but it was City who almost grabbed the game’s next goal. Kabia made his way into the box and on his left foot, was denied by the legs of King.

With 15 minutes left, Kyran Wiltshire had Hemel’s only shot of note on target in the whole game, but his tame effort was easily gathered by Lavercombe.

Kabia, who ran himself to a standstill as time ticked down, was replaced by Dom Johnson-Fisher and the substitute almost grabbed himself a first City goal, but couldn’t seriously trouble King after working a shooting opportunity in the box.

Six minutes of stoppage time was signalled by the fourth official but Truro held firm to record a fine win, with the club’s 135th birthday celebration capped off in the best way possible.

TRURO CITY: Lavercombe, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harrison, Sanders; Riley-Lowe, En-Neyah, Palfrey (Rooney, 66), Dean, Law; Harvey, Kabia (Johnson-Fisher, 88). Subs not used: Johnson, Neal, Burgess.