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

Truro drew the National League fixture two goals apiece at Gateshead International Stadium this past Saturday after holding a two-goal lead by the 54th minute, in what is turning out to be a season of epic train journeys and unrelenting hauls across England's highways. After goals from Dominic Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, the hosts fought back 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.” — the team's manager

Already this term the club undertook a journey to face Carlisle resulting in a 3-0 loss 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.

Galvanising Impact of Long Travels

During the matchday the first 90 Truro fans to arrive shared a £920 bar tab, sponsored by 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.

Even their Canadian chair, Eric Perez, who appreciates long-distance travel since he regularly flies seven hours from Toronto to London, understands the challenge facing the club he took over in 2023 aiming to emulate Wrexham's success.

All this time on the road 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 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 Trips

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, is resigned to long days of travelling but remains committed, 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.”

Reflecting on the situation, 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.”