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For the players, staff, and travelling supporters from the Cornish outfit, the gruelling 914-mile round trip to Gateshead was a mixed blessing ultimately. Their lengthy coach ride starting in south-west Cornwall travelling the length of England to the north-east region bore a single point and a free pint or two.

The team tied their National League match at 2-2 away at Gateshead this past Saturday after holding a two-goal lead by the 54th minute, during what is becoming a campaign defined by long travels and unrelenting hauls across England's highways. After goals from Johnson-Fisher and Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gateshead rebounded via Adom and a 70th-minute equalizer from Nouble.

“Clubs that come down to us, most of them are flying down and staying over on the Friday, so for us to have to do it on the coach is not ideal, but because we have so many long journeys, that’s the way we have to do it.” — John Askey

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

Galvanising Impact of Long Travels

On Saturday the initial 90 supporters were treated to a £920 drinks tab, sponsored by Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund representing £1 for every mile travelled. Fortunately, the squad could interrupt their travel with a pause at Derby's training facility.

Their chairman from Canada, Eric Perez, accustomed to long-haul trips since he regularly flies seven hours long-haul from Toronto to London, understands the challenge confronting the club he acquired in 2023 with ambitions of “doing a Wrexham”.

The extensive travel also brings advantages for Cornwall’s first professional football club, he believes. “It's certainly not a brief trip, It's an exceptionally long distance relatively,” Perez stated. “But what that does is galvanise our side even further – everybody spends time together, we are accustomed to journeying as a group.”

Dedicated Supporters Endure Long Travels

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, is resigned to long days of travelling but remains committed, despite the odd flight cancellation and exhausting rail journeys. He estimates Saturday’s trip cost him around £400 in costs and missed income, 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: “Truro's uniqueness as a club lies in the fans' unwavering support regardless of circumstances. I know last season we were very successful made it easy to back the squad, but from what I know the fans never even moan and they appreciate what the players have done.”