Kings returned with a precious point after their marathon trip to Truro’s temporary Plymouth home. In truth, it could have been so much more as they dominated for large parts of the game and created by far the more incisive opportunities. The loss of Jamie Jellis, Bradley Wadkins and Alie Bangura was offset by the return of Shaqai Forde and Sam Dreyer and Kings lined up with a 3-5-2 formation to match their hosts.

Both teams struggled to embrace the difficult surface and much of the opening exchanges, and indeed throughout, saw the teams engaged in aerial combat. Kings’ first sight of goal was a volleyed effort, just wide, from Sam Dreyer after good work by Alfie Williams. That was quickly followed by Shaq Forde shrugging off a couple of challenges and firing just wide. The young strike duo of Forde and Edu were proving a handful for the home defence and a couple of industrial challenges from messes Bevan and Madden earned the home players a caution each.

However, it must be said that the host’s cause was not helped by the loss through injury of influential defender Jamie Richards and ace marksman Tyler Harvey, both in the first twenty minutes. However, despite the loss of key personnel, the White Tigers still had their moments and only a smart save, low down, from Alfie Marriott denied Rio Garside the opening score and ensured the half ended goalless.

Kings started the second period much the brighter and a clever lay off from Erin Amu gave Harry Crawford a sight of goal, but his snap shot was deflected just wide. The bustling link man was again to the fore when his superbly struck volley was goal bound all the way until poleaxing defender Riley-Lowe, whose painful intervention almost certainly maintained parity. Langley remained undaunted by their lack of fortune in front of goal and continued to stretch their opponents, only a marginal offside flag denying Forde as he bore down on goal. As the match entered its final quarter the teams exchanged a flurry of corners and free kicks as they both remained committed to going for the win.

Each team’s endeavours generated one or two heart-stopping moments in both ‘boxes, but the final touch proved elusive and the deadlock could not be broken. It left Kings with, perhaps, a moral victory and one point closer to relegation rivals Dorchester, who suffered a narrow defeat on the same day.