Truro City 0 Staines Town 3
CITY'S hopes of winning two Blue Square Bet South games in a row for the first time this season were blown away by the struggling visitors.
It was a lacklustre performance by the home side who could have had few complaints as they slumped to a demoralising defeat against the Middlesex outfit.
Goals by Tyrone Marsh, debutant Doug Bergqvist and fellow defender Sam Page eased Staines to a vital three points in their battle to escape relegation.
And to make matters worse for bottom club City, they lost talismanic skipper Jake Ash to a first half groin injury which looks likely to rule him out of Tuesday's home with Dorchester Town (7.45pm).
His place was taken by new signing Paul Kendall, who has joined from Tiverton Town.
And after the game a demoralised looking City boss Lee Hodges apologised for his team's performance.
He said: "It was just not good enough but we can't mope around and have got to go again on Tuesday. I can only apologise to our fans."
City never really got into the game on a perfect afternoon at Treyew Road and had several narrow escapes before going behind ten minutes before half time when Tyrone Marsh scored from close range after the home defence had been caught napping.
And any hopes of a second half fight back were ended after only 90 seconds when Bergqvist forced the ball home after Paul Hider had parried David Wheeler's shot.
Poor marking from a corner allowed Sam Page to head home the third for the Staines side who comfortably saw out the game without too many problems, leaving bottom club City to contemplate a painful end to a traumatic season if this is to be their level of performance.
Truro City: Hider; Hall, Gerring, Ash (Kendall), Watts (Williams 71); Cooke, Broad, Martin, Afful; Watkins, Hayles (Wright 71). Subs (not used): Hodges.
Staines Town: Turner; Ferrell (Erivaldo), Bergqvist , Page, Worsfold; Wheeler, Ferguson, Ifil, Beadle (Mills 61), Lodge, Marsh (Garrod 87). Subs (not used): Merson, Bor.
Half time: 0-1
Goals: Marsh (35) 0-1, Bergqvist (47) 0-2, Page (65) 0-3.
Referee: John O'Brien (London).
Crowd: 478.
