Aldershot Town travel to the Truro City Stadium this midweek for a unique clash that marks the club’s first ever competitive fixture in Cornwall. Having only visited Gateshead four days prior, the fixture caps off a record-breaking week for the Shots, with the couplet of ties representing the furthest distance between successive league fixtures in the history of English professional football (465 miles).
Following significant financial backing in the early 21st century, ‘the Tinners’ have been making serious noise in the depths of the football pyramid for the last two decades, including a joint-record four promotions in as many years between 2006 and 2009. Finally reaching step-one in April in dramatic circumstances, the club will undoubtedly continue striving towards their ultimate pursuit of Football League status, but must first find their feet in the fifth-tier.
With 3 points from 6 matches, the hosts come into the tie in 22nd place, though after having spent the lions share of August at the southernmost point of the National League table, the club come into the tie in good spirits, having secured their first points of the season against Boston United last time out.
RECENT FORM
While fellow promotion winners Scunthorpe, Brackley and Boreham Wood all find themselves occupying the top-half of the table at the end of the campaign’s opening month, life at step-one has been considerably more difficult for the Tinners, having yet to conclude a matchday outside of the relegation zone. However, off the back of a convincing maiden victory, fortunes may be looking more favorable in the Autumn months.
- 30/08/25 – Truro City 3-0 Boston United (Pyke, Harvey, Dean)
- 25/08/25 – Boreham Wood 2-1 Truro City (Dean)
- 23/08/25 – Truro City 0-1 Southend United
- 19/08/25 – Tamworth 2-0 Truro City
- 16/07/25 – Truro City 0-2 York City
A notably difficult opening set of fixtures saw both last season’s runners up and play-off finalists contest the first two fifth-tier bouts at the Truro City Stadium, as York and Southend avoided upsets on the peninsula. Meanwhile, away ties against Wealdstone and Tamworth proved equally unfruitful for the step-two champions, leaving the side with four goalless losses in four to start the term.
John Askey’s men looked to have claimed their first ever point in the division in Hertfordshire, as a Bank Holiday Monday clash against Boreham Wood went into stoppage time all-square after defender Will Dean’s equaliser finally broke Truro’s goalscoring duck. However, a goal-mouth scramble in the 93rd minute saw Matt Rush poke home for the Wood, compiling further misery on the Cornish side.
Their most recent outing, however, showed a great deal more promise, with a resounding victory against Boston United giving the Threemilestone crowd some desperately needed joy. Rekeil Pyke’s first-time finish sent the side into a half-time lead, before Tyler Harvey’s penalty and Will Dean’s second in as many games secured a 3-0 victory, finally showing the side to be capable competitors.
IN THE DUGOUT
With 679 appearances and 155 goals for Macclesfield Town, as well as a National League title with the side as manager in 2017/18, it is safe to say John Askey’s legacy in Cornwall may never match that of his exploits up north. However, having achieved a previously unseen step-two title at the first time of asking, the 60-year-old is making a rather good case for dual-legend status.
Arriving in June 2024, Askey joined the Tinners with the appropriate pedigree to take the side to new heights, not only achieving the aforementioned fifth-tier title, but having also earned play-off promotion in the National League North with York City in 2022.
While the Truro City Stadium will always be a difficult place to go for a visiting side, it would be Askey’s transformation of the Tinners’ away form that would prove the catalyst for a dramatic title victory, raising the club from 15th best team on the road the previous season to 2nd, claiming 42 points from 23 matches. This was of most notable advantage at the tail end of the campaign, after a trio of successive victories against Worthing, Hornchurch and Weston-super-Mare in April sent them into an all-important top-spot ahead of a famously frantic final day.
While Askey and his side have found life at the summit of non-league difficult to adjust to thus far, if anyone deserves the extended grace of their supporters, the incumbent National League South manager of the season is up there with the best of them.
FORMER SHOTS
Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain – The Hampshire born right-back played 42 times for the Shots during the 2021/22 season, and is the younger brother of former England, Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder and namesake, Alex.
He joined the Tinners on loan from Kidderminster in August 2024 on an initial three-month deal, though ended up being an ever-present inclusion for the entirety of last season’s title-winning campaign, playing all-but one of Truro’s 46 league matches, signing permanently with the side in July.
TICKET INFO
Tickets for our first ever trip to Truro on Wednesday, 3rd September can be bought online by clicking HERE.
Please note that in order to buy tickets, you must first register a free account with ‘Justtikit’ to use the site.
Once registered, click ‘Buy Tickets’, and select ‘Other Categories’, directly adjacent to the default ‘Seating Plan’ tab, then navigate to Away tickets.
Ticket Prices are as follows, with matchday prices identified in brackets:
- ADULT – £17 (£19)
- CONCESSION (Over 65, Full-time students, Ambulant Disabled) – £15 (£17)
- UNDER 18 – £6 (£8)
Ambulant disabled supporters are asked to contact the club directly – info@trurocity.co.uk if they require a ticket for a chaperone and/or carer.
All supporters under the age of 14 MUST be accompanied by an adult to gain admittance to the stadium bowl. Once inside the stadium bowl, supporters MUST be accompanied by and adult at all times.
Supporters under the age of 18 WILL be asked to provide supporting documentation, if they wish to gain entry to the stadium bowl without an adult ticket holder/paying spectator.
Away supporters are to use turnstiles FIVE & SIX to enter the Truro City Stadium.
Increased security checks will be in place for away fans before they are admitted to the stadium bowl. This includes the searching of all bags.
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT
Live updates will be available from our social media platforms X (@OfficialShots), Instagram (@aldershottownfcofficial), and Facebook. After the game, highlights will be available on our YouTube channel.
The game can be streamed via DAZN’s National League TV coverage. Click HERE to purchase a match pass.
There will be live commentary of the game provided by BBC Radio Surrey – listen online HERE
