A footballer was helped from the pitch during Saturday's (January 4) Truro City game suffering from suspected hypothermia. Hornchurch defender Harry Gibbs left the pitch during added time, with The Tinners' manager John Askey lamenting the "horrendous conditions to play football in" which beset the game.

Truro City won the match 2-1 after a slow start, with the first goal coming to the home side at 82 minutes, courtesy of Bill Palfrey. But as is the norm with City, there was late injury time drama.

That saw Darren McQueen equalise for the Urchins at 93 minutes. Moments later though, substitute Andrew Neal grabbed a late late winner for Truro to snatch a 2-1 win. The victory sees them move up to fourth place, two points adrift of leaders Torquay United, but having played a game more.

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But driving rain, freezing temperatures and strong easterly winds hit the Truro City Stadium meaning free-flowing football was at a premium throughout for this, the side’s first home game of 2025. And Askey reflected how Gibbs, in the aftermath of Hornchurch’s equaliser, had to be helped from the field of play, suffering from suspected hypothermia.

“I thought that if anyone was going to win the game it would be ourselves,” Askey said. “We missed one or two chances and the conditions were atrocious, although I thought we played them better.

“It would have been really disappointing not to have won the game, especially being one up with a few minutes to go. Again, the players never fail to surprise us as they keep coming up with these late winners.

“Full credit to them as it was a tremendous effort although we had already won the game before Hornchurch equalised. They shouldn’t have got into our half of the pitch, we’ve allowed a couple of crosses to come in, then it was a mistake.

“However, I don’t think you can judge anyone in those conditions because they were horrendous conditions to play football in.”

“I have never seen someone come off with hypothermia and their centre half came off with hypothermia, that’s how bad it was,” Askey added.

“Our lads who normally go to the supporters (after the game) just gave them a wave and ran off because they were absolutely freezing. So anybody who stayed to watch the full 95 minutes, you are true supporters to withstand those conditions.”

Another four-figure crowd of 1,322 braved the conditions to witness Truro’s win. The Tinners head to Eastbourne Borough, who are fifth, for their next match on Saturday (January 11).

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