'I couldn't recognise our players' - shirt clash delays sixth-tier match

Dorking and Truro players walk out for their matchImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Dorking on the left could not make out their players from those of Truro City

  • Published

Truro City's first match in their new stadium was delayed soon after kick-off due to a clash of shirts between the home side and visitors Dorking Wanderers.

Dorking's orange tops clashed with Truro's new red home kit and, after just three minutes, the visitors went off the field.

When they returned they had turned their shirts inside out - a situation which lasted the rest of the game.

Dorking beat Truro 2-1 in the National League South as City returned to Cornwall for the first time in almost four years after work on their new ground was completed.

"I've never seen anything like it. I've been in football for a very, very long time," new Truro City boss John Askey told BBC Radio Cornwall

"I've seen it where teams have turned up with a strip that clashes, but I've never seen a team run out.

"When I first saw them coming I couldn't recognise any of our players because I thought it was us.

"So, for the referee to allow it to go that far I think it's probably summed up her performance today."

Dorking, who were relegated from the National League last season went ahead when Jimmy Muitt's 15th-minute goal quietened the crowd of 2,676.

But City striker Tyler Harvey levelled the scores after 31 minutes, only for Charlie Carter to get what proved to be a winner three minutes into the second half.

"I've got mixed emotions," said former York City and Macclesfield Town boss Askey, who took over at Truro in the summer after Paul Wotton left to manage Torquay United.

"It was great to see so many people here and a good atmosphere, and once we got to grips with Dorking we started to cause them one or two problems.

"I'm disappointed in the first goal that I thought was a blatant foul, but it happens and we did well to get ourselves back in the game.

"We we're in a good position and you think 'we'll start getting them rattled' and then we concede from a corner - people losing their men and not reacting to the second ball.

"But I can't ask any more of the players, I thought the players worked really hard and they're a team that are fancied to go straight back up the huge budget, so I thought our players did well."

Image source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Dorking were forced to turn their kits inside out after a clash of colours in the first game at Truro City's new ground