Carlisle United secured third place with a determined 1-0 victory against Truro City at the Truro City stadium.
Regan Linney’s sublime second-half strike was the difference as the Blues worked hard to come away with a clean sheet.
Mark Hughes made one change from the 3-0 win against Sutton United last weekend, with Josh Williams coming in at right-back for Jack Ellis.
United started on the front foot with Terell Thomas finding Linney with a pinpoint chipped pass to the left flank, which saw the Blues’ attacker cut in and fire a shot wide.
The ball was again worked to Linney on the left, who drove to the byline before delivering a low cross, which Georgie Kelly diverted at goal, but Aidan Stone showed quick reflexes to turn over the crossbar.
A deflection on the halfway line allowed Callum Whelan to carry the ball forward and reach the edge of the penalty area, but a bobble sent his shot over the bar.
The left flank was proving to be the area to attack for United, with Linney keeping the ball in play in the corner and pulling it back to Ryan Galvin, whose delivery was nodded wide by a diving David Ajiboye.
Jack Stretton had the Tinners’ first real opportunity, powering onto a ball in behind, but his lob was high over the bar.
HALF-TIME: Truro City 0-0 Carlisle United
A long throw from Zac Bell fell to Harry Charsley on the edge of the box, but he failed to keep his effort down.
Freddie Issaka made the most of Morgan Feeney’s loose touch to regain possession in the Blues’ half, finding Will Dean, whose cross was headed straight at Gabe Breeze by Luke Jephcott.
The Tinners began the second-half as the better side, with Charsley pickpocketing Williams before he found Stretton, who shot high and off target.
United took the lead in the 65th minute through Linney, racing onto Ajiboye’s ball into the channel before weaving in and out to create space to fire a ferocious shot past Stone.
Galvin had to be sharp to clear Charsley’s effort off the line at the far post, after a corner had been flicked on in his direction.
The Blues looked to wrap the game up when Linney burst through on goal and set up Ajiboye, who seemed destined to score, only to blast his effort over the bar.
Breeze had to make a superb save in the dying minutes from a shot from the edge of the box to deny the hosts as the Blues held out to win.
FULL-TIME: Truro City 0-1 Carlisle United
Teams:
Truro City: Stone, Bell (Starkie 72), Riley-Lowe (C), W Dean (T Dean 83, Harrison, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jephcott, Issaka (Janneh 83), Kinsey, Stretton (Wilson 89), Charsley
Unused subs: Howard, Love-Holmes, law
Carlisle United: Breeze, Thomas, Feeney (C), Ajiboye (Yeboah 88), Whelan (Ellis 67), Kelly (Armstrong 75), Linney, Galvin, Wearne, Williams (Davies 67), Macadam
Unused subs: Harper, Hayden, Mugabi
Goals:
Truro City – N/A
Carlisle United – (Linney 65)
Yellow cards:
Truro City – N/A
Carlisle United – N/A
Red cards:
Truro City - N/A
Carlisle United - N/A
Match officials:
Referee - Aaron Jackson
Assistant Referee 1 - Christopher Myatt
Assistant Referee 2 - Mark Senior
Fourth Official - Ivan Stankovic
Attendance:
2,928 (880 away)
