Salisbury look to do the impossible away at Truro City

Friday, 24 March 2023 00:00

Salisbury make the long journey west as they fight to be the first team to beat Truro City at Bolitho Park this season, continuing the league run-in on Non-League Day.

Truro City have announced there will be a pitch inspection at 8 am ahead of the game.

Truro sit in 2nd place and are four points away from overtaking Weston-super-Mare in the title race, and have only lost five games all season.

Two of those losses have come in their last five games, but Salisbury will not be given hope by their home record, as Truro have not lost a single league game at home this campaign - the only team in the division to do so.

The Whites head into the game after a 2-0 midweek loss to play-off chasing Hayes & Yeading - conceding both goals to penalties as Hayes took advantage of a tired Salisbury, who went down to nine men against North Leigh just three days before.

Manager Brian Dutton said that his side are being hurt by injuries, but also did not shy away from saying that his team were not good enough, saying: “It was flat, disappointing and I feel for the fans who turned up because it wasn’t great to watch.”

“We’re struggling with injuries and the lads are putting their bodies on the line, and we’re getting to that point in the season where everyone starts feeling the wear and tear. But we’ll dust ourselves down, get down there and try to rectify a really disappointing performance.”

The Whites take the four hour drive sitting 13 points above the drop, and with only six games remaining, a win at Truro would see them all but safe from relegation.

But the recent head-to-head record does not favour them either: the teams have met this season already, once in the league and once in the FA Trophy, but Truro won both of these fixtures.

The Whites will definitely be without goalkeeper Gerard Benfield who has been loaned to Weymouth for the rest of the season, with an option to recall should new signing Mark Smith get injured.

Erion Zabeli is also set to debut after signing with the Whites on non-league deadline day, as the Albanian Under-19 international has joined on a work experience loan from Oxford United.