By Jon Harland
Hampton & Richmond host Truro City on Saturday, returning to action at the Beveree Stadium after coming from behind twice to secure a valiant 2-2 draw with Dorking Wanderers on Tuesday. Mauro Vilhete starred with a brace, drawing level with James Roberts as the club’s joint-top scorer on 11 goals this season. On Thursday, the club congratulated Vilhete on being named National League South’s Player of the Month for January.
Truro currently occupy the final play-off spot in seventh place with 50 points. A win for ninth-placed Hampton & Richmond would move them just two points behind the Tinners, but their chances of climbing to eighth depend on the outcome of Weston-super-Mare’s clash with Boreham Wood, which takes place simultaneously.
Weston-super-Mare, three points ahead of the Beavers, would need to lose for Alan Julian’s side to move up a spot. If the Seagulls are defeated and Hampton & Richmond secure all three points at the Beveree, the Beavers would leap to eighth on goal difference. Meanwhile, tenth-placed Tonbridge, just one point behind Hampton & Richmond, could overtake them if they beat Worthing and the Beavers fail to win.
Hampton & Richmond head into Saturday’s match on good form, having won four of their last six and losing just one league game in 11. Beavers are incredibly tough to beat at home; their last league defeat at the Bev was back in October. Meanwhile, Truro are without a win on the road in three games and have failed to score in their previous two outings.
Home supporters should keep an eye out for Tyler Harvey and Andrew Neal, who have netted 14 and 12 times respectively this season for the Tinners.
John Askey’s side claimed all three points in the reverse fixture in a 3-0 victory at the Truro City Stadium back in October. That was just the second time Truro have beaten Hampton & Richmond in the 13 occasions they’ve faced off, while the Beavers have defeated this weekend’s opponents six times.
Truro secured a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture at Truro City Stadium back in October. That win marked only Truro’s second triumph over Hampton & Richmond in 13 meetings, with the Beavers emerging victorious six times.
Significant investment in 2004 sparked Truro’s rapid rise through the football pyramid. The Cornish side set a British record with four consecutive promotions from 2006 to 2010 and lifted the FA Vase in 2007. However, financial troubles saw the club enter administration in 2012, leading to point deductions and a transfer embargo before being rescued by a local consortium.
After years of fluctuating between divisions, Truro won the 2023 Southern League Premier Division play-offs, securing their return to the National League South after a four-year absence.
Saturday marks the first game week since the launch of the ’3UP‘ campaign - an unprecedented move by all 72 National League clubs urging the EFL to vote on expanding promotion places from two to three.
Tickets for Saturday can be purchased HERE.