Our clash at home to Truro City yesterday evening was spoiled by a resounding 4-1 defeat at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
The Tinners led for nearly the entirety of the game after Jaze Kabia opened the scoring inside six minutes.
Their dominance only grew further when long-term talisman Tyler Harvey scored a hat-trick to well and truly seal the points for John Askey’s side.
We did manage to get one back with just over 15 minutes of regular time remaining when Jake McCarthy scored his first for us since his return, but were undone once more barely a minute later when Charlie Rowan was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Our misfortunes were also further heightened earlier in the game when both Jordan Maguire-Drew and Ben Greenwood appeared to be forced off with injury setbacks.
In truth, anything that could have gone wrong for us on Tuesday did.
Moreover, it caps off a frustrating few days, last week’s loss away to Hornchurch coming after our impressive nine-game unbeaten run.
SMUGGLERS SMUGGLING THEIR WAY TO THE TOP
Tuesday’s win puts Truro top of the National League South table, for now at least, on goal difference.
They certainly played like a team worthy of their position, when Kabia reached Harvey’s cross towards the back post and gave his side the lead inside just six minutes.
Although the league’s top-scorer was this time the provider, his involvement would be a sign for later things to come.
Six minutes later saw Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, brother of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, attempt a rabona cross into the box, as Askey’s players appeared to have quickly grown in confidence.
Unsurprisingly, Truro had the brighter opening quarter-of-an-hour, although our first chance came around this time, when Andy Robinson fired at Dan Lavercombe after a good move.
Jordan Maguire-Drew then played through Ben six minutes later, although the visitors were able to win themselves a free-kick under pressure.
Around this time Harvey also appeared to go down injured and received subsequent treatment.
However he quickly recovered, pouncing on a long throw by the once-again ambitious Oxlade Chamberlain and slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner to double his team’s lead after 24 minutes.
In response, JMD continued to be a bright spark for us as he fired a dangerous free-kick towards Lavercombe soon afterwards.
But then, as the game passed the half-hour mark our creative stalwart went down with what looked to be an injury, which forced him off approx. 10 minutes before the break.
This setback, along with the immense downpour onto the pitch, summed up a fairly miserable evening so far.
Truro showed little signs of slowing down, either, Oxlade-Chamberlain blasting a thunderous strike towards Will Buse four minutes after our forced change, with our keeper thankfully pushing the ball away.
Then as we finally were able to head down the tunnel, a big second half lay ahead of us.
In preparation, Mark made two tactical tweaks as attacking aces Mal Linton and Keelan O’Connell came on in place of Christie Ward and Tom Bearwish during halftime.
But despite our positive substitutions, Truro began the second half much as they did the first.
The worst possible start for us occurred when Charlie Rowan brought down goalscorer Kabia inside the box, conceding a penalty and being booked in the process.
Harvey stepped up from the spot and slotted past Busey to score his second of the game just three minutes after the break, ensuring our already large mountain to climb became even steeper.
By now the visitors were being ambitious with their shots on goal, in-form Kabia firing wide from distance five minutes after extending their lead.
But then, if our evening could not get any more despairing, Kabia unselfishly played the ball across goal to fellow-forward Harvey two minutes before the hour-mark, the pair proving quite the partnership in this game.
Harvey, staring at an open net then tapped home but not only grab his hat-trick and subsequent 15th league goal of the season, but also increase The Tinners’ lead by four goals.
By now we were losing 4-0 at home and still yet to play a full hour.
We did nearly respond just a few moments afterwards, though, when Keels drove forward and shot towards goal, only for his strike to be deflected behind.
But then, with just over 20 minutes remaining, Ben was forced off with our second injury of the game.
Our goal deficit was slightly shortened approx. five minutes later, though, substitute Jake heading past Lavercombe to score his first in a Weymouth shirt since his return earlier this month.
But just moments after the referee blew their whistle for the restart, Charlie Rowan fouled Kabia for a second time in the game and received, much like the first time, another yellow card.
As is with the latter of the law, Charlie had no choice but to walk off the pitch.
Ultimately, Truro ran out deserved 4-1 winners as we suffered our second successive league loss.
But with tomorrow’s game at home to Tonbridge Angels under interim-boss Jason Matthews, our chance to turn fortunes around soon awaits.
