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For the players, staff, and travelling supporters of Truro City, the arduous return journey of 914 miles to Gateshead was a mixed blessing in the end. The 12-hour bus journey starting in south-west Cornwall travelling the length of England to the north-east region yielded one league point plus complimentary drinks.

The team tied the National League fixture at 2-2 at Gateshead International Stadium this past Saturday having led 2-0 in the 54th minute, in what is turning out to be a campaign defined by long travels and tireless road trips across England's highways. After goals from Dominic Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, the hosts fought back through Kain Adom and, in the 70th minute, Frank 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.” — the team's manager

Earlier in the season the club undertook a journey to Carlisle resulting in a 3-0 loss covering 878 miles. Due to the team's remote location, even their nearest away game is against Yeovil Town, a roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive via the A30 to Huish Park, 130 miles each way.

Galvanising Effect of Long Travels

On Saturday the first 90 Truro fans were treated to a £920 drinks tab, courtesy of the EFL sponsor, Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund representing £1 for every mile travelled. Fortunately, the squad could interrupt their travel with a stop at Derby County’s training ground.

Even their Canadian chair, Eric Perez, accustomed to long-haul trips as he frequently flies seven hours from Toronto to London, recognizes the difficulties facing the club he took over 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 a ridiculously long journey in context,” Perez told BBC Sport. However, it serves to strengthen our squad further – everybody spends time together, we’re used to travelling together.”

Dedicated Fans Endure Long Travels

One of Truro’s stalwart supporters, John Joyce, accepts the reality of extended travel yet stays devoted, despite the odd flight cancellation and exhausting rail journeys. He estimates Saturday’s trip cost him around £400 in expenses and lost earnings, remarking, “I worked for Nato in the last six years of my career in the navy, and it was a shorter drive from Brussels back to Cornwall than it is 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. Last term's promotion success made it easy to back the squad, but from what I know the fans never even moan and they value the players' efforts.”