United 1
(Young 80′)
Truro City 0
United saw in 2025 in style at Plainmoor, as 5,135 supporters watched The Gulls celebrate the New Year with a 1-0 win over Truro City.
A tight encounter between the two South-West title rivals was eventually decided by Jordan Young’s late goal, as Torquay continued to lead the way at the top of National League South.
Boss Paul Wotton opted to make one change to the side that drew at Weymouth on Boxing Day, with Dylan Morgan coming in for his full debut in place of Omar Mussa.
A fiercely competitive first 45 minutes failed to separate the sides, although both had chances to break the deadlock.
The Gulls probably shaded the possession stakes, with Jordan Young and Oscar Threlkeld firing shots just over the crossbar.
Cody Cooke also had two sights of goal from close range against his former club, however United’s leading scorer was not afforded the time or space he needed, with both efforts going wide of the posts.
City were certainly playing their part at the other end too though, and went within a whisker of taking the lead just before the change of ends.
On both occasions it was James Hamon who came to his side’s rescue, with two smart parries from close range.
Goalless at the break.
When the action got back underway, it was the Tinners from Cornwall that initially took charge.
It’s was to their credit that Wotton’s men stood up to the challenge immaculately though, as a string of corners and forays into the box were met time and again with United heads, boots or Hamon’s gloves, as they refused to buckle under pressure.
Tyler Harvey and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain – the latter from a tight angle – both fired efforts wide of goal.
During the final quarter of the match, Torquay began to impose themselves back into proceedings though, and with ten minutes remaining, Young delivered the knockout blow.
After making steady progress down the right, the Gulls winger cut inside and jinked his way across the face of the 18-yard box before finally finding a sight of goal, with his low left-footed drive beating Dan Lavercombe to his right post.
United had to seen the closing stages out a man down after Jordan Thomas was given his marching orders following an altercation with a City man, and having built up a reputation of grabbing late goals, Truro very nearly did so again.
Thankfully, Connor Riley-Lowe’s effort bounced away from the goal line rather than over it, after the City skipper’s strike rattled the woodwork.
That was as close as the visiting side came, as United held on to secure a huge three points in front of a mammoth attendance at Plainmoor – with the figure of 5,135 United’s biggest in over five years.
Happy New Year, Yellow Army.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer (16. Ed Palmer, 62′), 8. Jordan Young (2. Finley Craske, 85′), 14. Matt Carson, 18. Oscar Threlkeld (c), 19. Cody Cooke, 20. Dan Hayfield, 22. Will Jenkins Davies (7. Lirak Hasani, 73′), 26. Jordan Thomas, 29. Dylan Morgan (10. Omar Mussa, 73′).
SUBS NOT USED: 28. Jack Wood.
Yellow Card: Dreyer 16′, Threlkeld 66′, Thomas 70′
Red Card: Thomas 83′
TRURO: 1. Dan Lavercombe, 3. Connor Riley-Lowe (c), 5. Tom Harrison, 6. Sam Saunders, 8. Will Dean, 9. Tyler Harvey, 10. Billy Palfrey, 12. Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18. Dan Rooney (15. Rocky Neal, 85′), 19. Jaze Kabia, 20. Ryan Law (11. Dominic Johnson-Fisher, 82′).
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Tylor Love-Holmes, 13. Morgan Jones, 22. Ben Adelsbury.
Yellow Card: Palfrey 38′, Dean 47′
Attendance: 5,135 (243 away)