Written by: Allan Mitchell
Hemel Hempstead Town 3 Truro City 0
Vanarama National League South - 25th January 2025
Its three wins on the bounce for Lee Allinsons new look Tudors and it was a case of taking your chances in this game which was a bit closer than the final score line reflects.
Truro made a bright start and they had the first chance after just a couple of minutes when Manny Maja found himself in space just outside the box but he fired his shot high and wide.
Craig King almost got caught in possession as he attempted a clearance moments later when Andrew Neal closed him down but King was able to recover and smothered the loose ball.
Slightly against the early run of play Hemel took the lead on seven minutes. George Williams did superbly down the right and delivered an inch perfect cross to Brandon Barzey who made no mistake from close range.

This prompted a period of pressure from the home side with Williams and Barzey starting to cause problems.
Truro weathered the storm however and were almost gifted an equaliser when a mix up at the back allowed Neal in again, he was forced out wide but still managed to get a shot away but the angle was too tight and it cannoned off the post.
Ollie Lynch had a chance for the Tudors when a corner was only half cleared, it was flicked into the young striker who fired wide.
With the game now very much end to end Neal had another chance when he arrived at the back post but he was at full stretch and the ball went wide.
Hemel made The Tinners pay for this missed opportunity when they went further in front just before the interval. George Williams and Ollie Lynch combined well down the left and Williams whipped in another decent cross which found Barzey unmarked in the six yard box and he nodded into the unguarded net.

The second half saw The Tudors control the game for long periods and the expected fight back from Truro didn’t materialise.
George Williams was still causing problems and he was unlucky not to score when he cut inside and drilled a shot just over the bar.
Brandon Barzey came within a coat of paint of getting his hatrick on the hour mark when he fired a freekick over the wall only to see it crash off the crossbar.
Allinson made some changes as the clock ticked down as did Truro which disrupted the flow somewhat. Dominic Johnson-Fisher looked a handful when he came on for The Tinners and was unlucky not to score after a mazy dribble into the box saw things open up but he couldn’t keep his shot down. Truro had another chance minutes later when a long ball wasn’t cleared and Johnson-Fisher was able to steal it and hone in on goal but Craig King closed him down superbly, blocking his effort and when the loose ball was knocked back to Neal, King reacted again, smothering his header close to the ground.
With time running out the visitors started pushing up and after Hemel survived a close call when a cross was drilled across the face of Craig King’s goal, they put the game to bed when Kai Omoko-Brosnan was sent clear down the left, he cut back inside before crossing the ball to Joe White who rose and flicked a header into the corner to complete the scoring.

Allinson was more than pleased with the win but insists that there is more to come from his side and he is delighted with the effort the players are putting in, on and off the pitch.
Attendance 681 Tudors Man of the Match: Bandon Barzey

Comments