A WILL Harris goal two minutes from time condemned Truro City to a narrow 1-0 defeat at National League play-off chasers FC Halifax Town on Saturday.

The top line when it came to team news for the Cornishmen was the full debut handed to Freddie Issaka, with the Truro-born attacker having joined on loan from SkyBet League One side Plymouth Argyle on Friday. The second of two changes was also up top as Rekeil Pyke made a first start since mid-November, coming into a Tinners side beaten 2-0 at home by Woking on Tuesday evening.

The Tinners came from behind to beat the Shaymen 2-1 back in October, with late goals from Shaun Donnellan and Luke Jephcott completing a dramatic turnaround. Much like that day at The TCS, Truro could well have found themselves going a goal behind, as Aidan Stone was forced into a double save after Harry Kite had had his pocket picked.

City almost capitalised on some indecision at the other end in the very next passage of play, with the impressive Harry Charsley letting fly from an acute angle which was blocked. Stone was kept busy though as he denied Kieron Morris, Josh Hmami and the home side’s top-scorer Harris.

A mixture of miserly defending and Stone’s fine form meant they weren’t able to make their ascendancy count though, and that left them susceptible on the break. Indeed, Stone’s opposite number Sam Johnson needed to be alert to spoil the party for debutant Issaka just shy of the half-hour mark. The home keeper then denied Pyke on his return to his home county.

Issaka saw his involvement come to an end ten minutes into the second stanza, with the equally explosive Dominic Johnson-Fisher on in his stead. His arrival and performance, as well as that of Pyke, who was soon after replaced by Tyler Harvey, offered plenty of promise going into the final months of the season.

Johnson-Fisher announced himself onto the scene in typical fashion. His quick pass into Lirak Hasani resulted in a low ball into the box that was cut out at the opportune moment.

On the counter the hosts poured forward – but were met by a goal-saving block from Donnellan who was soon replaced by Will Dean.

A series of gilt-edged chances came and went for both sides toward the end. Two went the way of City, either side of Angelo Capello’s miss from close-range, as Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross threatened to sneak past Johnson, who reacted well to save his blushes. Johnson-Fisher then sent his effort wide of the mark.

The turning point - a cruel suckerpunch - came in the 88th minute when AJ Warburton raced down the right and picked out Harris, who made no mistake from inside the box as City’s deficit to safety stretched to six points.

A break from domestic action beckons in midweek, with Boreham Wood standing between the Tinners and a spot in the National League Cup final. Tuesday’s tie at Meadow Park kicks-off at 7.30pm.

What follows are three successive fixtures against other sides in the bottom half of the National League, with Gateshead (Saturday, February 21) and Braintree Town (Saturday, February 28) visiting The TCS either side of a trip to Eastleigh on Wednesday, February 25.

TRURO CITY: Stone, Riley-Lowe (capt), Harrison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hasani, Jephcott, Issaka (Johnson-Fisher, 55), Pyke (Harvey, 64), Donnellan (Dean, 72), Kite, Charsley. Subs not used: Lavercombe, Bell, Law, Stretton.

Attendace: 1,224 (65 away).