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For the players, staff, and travelling supporters from the Cornish outfit, the arduous return journey of 914 miles 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 bore a single point plus complimentary drinks.

The team tied the National League fixture two goals apiece away at Gateshead on Saturday having led 2-0 by the 54th minute, in what is turning out to be a season of epic train journeys and tireless road trips across England's highways. After goals from Dominic Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gateshead rebounded through Kain Adom and, in the 70th minute, Frank 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.” — the team's manager

Already this term the club undertook a journey to face Carlisle for a 3-0 defeat that clocked up 878 miles. Due to the team's remote location, their shortest away match is against Yeovil Town, around a two-and-a-half-hour schlep along the A30 to Huish Park, a 130-mile trip each direction.

Unifying Impact of Long Travels

During the matchday 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 stop at Derby County’s training ground.

Even their Canadian chair, 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 aiming to emulate Wrexham's success.

All this time on the road has benefits too for Cornwall’s first professional football club, he believes. “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 – everybody spends time together, we are accustomed to journeying as a group.”

Dedicated Supporters Endure Lengthy Trips

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, accepts the reality of extended travel yet stays devoted, notwithstanding occasional flight issues and wearisome train treks. He calculated the recent trip at roughly £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: “The thing that makes Truro special as a club lies in the fans' unwavering support no matter what. 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 value the players' efforts.”