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Regarding the squad, management, and away fans from the Cornish outfit, the gruelling 914-mile round trip to face Gateshead proved bittersweet in the end. 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.

The team tied the National League fixture two goals apiece at Gateshead International Stadium this past Saturday after holding a two-goal lead by the 54th minute, during what is becoming a campaign defined by long travels and tireless road trips up and down English A roads and motorways. Following strikes by Johnson-Fisher and Oxlade-Chamberlain, the hosts fought back 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

Already this term the club undertook a journey to face Carlisle resulting in a 3-0 loss 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 via the A30 to Huish Park, 130 miles each way.

Unifying Effect of Long Travels

During the matchday the initial 90 supporters to arrive shared a £920 bar tab, courtesy of the EFL sponsor, Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund equating to £1 per mile covered. 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 as he frequently flies seven hours long-haul from Toronto to London, recognizes the difficulties 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 an exceptionally long distance relatively,” Perez told BBC Sport. “But what that does is galvanise our side even further – everybody spends time together, we are accustomed to journeying as a group.”

Loyal Fans Endure Long Trips

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, accepts the reality of extended travel yet stays devoted, despite the odd flight cancellation and wearisome train treks. He estimates Saturday’s trip cost him around £400 in expenses and lost earnings, noting, “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 regardless of circumstances. I know last season we were very successful made it easy to back the squad, yet the supporters rarely complain and they appreciate what the players have done.”