New Headline: Heartwarming Shields Hold Firm, Rallying Fans Behind Steady Truro City

John Askey's side look set to be relegated from the National League after one season in the fifth tier [Shutterstock] Truro City manager John Askey said he was pleased with the resilience his side showed in their 2-1 loss to Scunthorpe United. The defeat - a 25th in the National League this season - leaves City 12 points from safety at the bottom of the table with eight games to go. "We had a couple of chances and then there was a bit of an onslaught by Scunthorpe when they went two up, although I think they only had two or three shots at goal, and you're thinking 'this is going to run away with us today'," Askey told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"But again the players have showed fantastic resilience and came up with a goal, and after that then there's very little in the game. "It's disappointing again that we've not come away with something, but the efforts from the players, I thought again, was really good considering the position that we're in. " The Tinners have had to bring in a number of new faces in defence with the likes of Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Connor Riley-Lowe unable to start.

While that lack of familiarity may have contributed to Scunthorpe's early goals, Askey was pleased with how they performed. "They're a strong team, but if you look at our back four, they've not really played together before, and it probably took them a little bit of time to get it together," he said. "But I was really pleased with the efforts.

I thought Max [Kinsey] did really well today. He hasn't had much of a chance and he's responded and that's what we want. "We want now that players still continue to put the effort in from now until the end of the season.