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For the squad, management, and away fans of Truro City, the gruelling return journey of 914 miles to face Gateshead proved bittersweet ultimately. The 12-hour bus journey from Cornwall in the south-west all the way up England’s spine to the north-east region yielded one league point and a free pint or two.

The team tied the National League fixture at 2-2 away at Gateshead on Saturday having led 2-0 in the 54th minute, during what is becoming a season of epic train journeys and unrelenting hauls across England's highways. Following strikes by Johnson-Fisher and Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gateshead rebounded via Adom and a 70th-minute equalizer from Nouble.

“Opposition teams visiting us often fly in and stay overnight, making our coach travel less than ideal, yet with our extensive schedule, it’s our only option.” — John Askey

Earlier in the season the club undertook a journey to Carlisle for a 3-0 defeat covering 878 miles. Such is the club’s relative isolation, their shortest away match is at Yeovil Town, around a two-and-a-half-hour schlep along the A30 to Huish Park, 130 miles each way.

Unifying Impact of Long Travels

During the matchday the initial 90 supporters were treated to a £920 drinks tab, courtesy of the EFL sponsor, Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund representing £1 for every mile travelled. At least the players were able to break up their journey with a pause at Derby's training facility.

Their chairman from Canada, Eric Perez, who appreciates long-distance travel since he regularly flies seven hours long-haul from Toronto to London, understands the challenge confronting the club he acquired in 2023 aiming to emulate Wrexham's success.

The extensive travel also brings advantages for Cornwall’s first professional football club, in his view. “I’m not going to say it’s a short journey, It's an exceptionally long distance relatively,” Perez stated. However, it serves to strengthen our squad further – the team bonds during travel, we’re used to travelling together.”

Dedicated Fans Endure Lengthy Trips

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, accepts the reality of extended travel but remains committed, notwithstanding occasional flight issues and exhausting rail journeys. He calculated the recent trip at roughly £400 in expenses and lost earnings, remarking, “During my naval career with Nato, the drive from Brussels to Cornwall was shorter than from Cornwall to Gateshead.”

As Askey said, following the Carlisle expedition: “The thing that makes Truro special as a club is that the supporters get behind the team no matter what. Last term's promotion success made it easy to back the squad, yet the supporters rarely complain and they appreciate what the players have done.”