MANAGER Paul Wotton says his Truro City side must ‘regroup quickly’ after going down 2-1 to Hampton & Richmond Borough away from home on Saturday, writes Gareth Davies.

City’s first away game for close to a month saw Wotton’s charges fall behind after just 12 minutes when Tope Fadahunsi emphatically finished past James Hamon.

A tepid opening stanza saw no further goalmouth action of significant note but less than 60 seconds after the restart, City were level.

Ollie Bray, who replaced Andrew Neal at the break, poked home after great work by Connor Riley-Lowe to score with his first touch of the ball in a City shirt.

And the visitors were handed a numerical advantage shortly after when Beavers’ defender Ruaridh Donaldson was sent-off for violent conduct. But City couldn’t capitalise and 12 minutes from time, substitute Isaac Pitbaldo headed what turned out to be the winning goal. 

Truro are back in action tonight when they play Taunton Town at Wordsworth Drive in Vanarama National League South (7.45pm).

“We are disappointed and in the first half I didn’t think we got going,” Wotton told trurocityfc.co.uk. “Hampton are around the top of the league and we actually restricted them to one chance which they scored.

“We have to stop conceding the first goal and we have to stop conceding silly goals. We weren’t a threat in the first half but neither were Hampton so it was comfortable for both sides.

“We got in at half-time and it was important we went in at only 1-0 down. We spoke to the boys, they upped their levels and then in the second half, we get a dream start. 

“Ollie’s first touch for the club he scores and then for the next 15 minutes, we are in the ascendancy as we were doing all the things we asked (the players) to do.

“Then they have the lad sent off and we stopped doing the things that we had asked them to do. 

“I said to the lads at half-time that if the players do the things I ask them to do and we lose, then that is my fault. I am big enough and ugly enough to put my hands up to that.

“But if we go off plan, we struggle because we are a good football team, but we are at our best when we do the things we are good at.

“I thought we had lots of chances in the second half to put the ball down the sides of their two centre-backs with real quality because we had genuine pace up top. 

“We stopped doing that but fair play to Hampton because Mel (Gwinett, Hampton & Richmond Borough manager) was brave and kept two up top and pushed his full-backs on.

“Overall, (the result) is disappointing but we have got a ton of games this month. Be disappointed, be down, but we need to regroup quickly and go again on Tuesday against a manager and a team that I respect hugely.

“We know we have got a real fight on our hands.” 

Despite the reverse, City’s first in four away outings, Wotton was full of praise for his side’s latest two loan acquisitions. Ryan Kavanagh joined from Cardiff City until the end of the season while Bray has made a temporary one-month switch from Aldershot Town. 

“I thought Ollie’s impact was that he scored straight away,” Wotton added. “He was a threat and perhaps could have done better with another couple of headers.

“He was in and around the box and I liked what I saw.

“Kav grew into the game and I only took him off near the end to get Dom Johnson-Fisher on to score us a goal. Ryan is tenacious, he puts his foot in and I really like that in a player.

“He’s fuming that we lost so that is good sign but overall, I thought both new boys did well.”