A last minute penalty from Scott Walker rescued a point for Truro City as they drew at home with Salisbury City in the Conference South.

The Wiltshire side will have left Treyew Road feeling aggrieved that they had a man sent-off and two penalty appeals of their own turned down.

But in truth City were worthy of a point and the referee did well to ignore the visitors protests and get at least two of the three decisions correct.

Truro City were given a boost ahead of kick-off as Barry Hayles was fit enough for a starting place.

He lined-up alongside new signing Adam Kelly who, having joined from Salisbury early in the week, was facing his former club. Hayles proved to be a menace throughout, adding a focal point to City's attacks, which has been missing in recent weeks.

The former Fulham striker was on the scoresheet quickly as well. Walker floated a fourth-minute free-kick into the box, which was headed on by Jake Ash for Hayles to nod the ball over Salisbury keeper Will Puddy and into the top corner of the net.

Moments later though Salisbury City had their first penalty appeal as an underhit back pass by Arran Pugh was latched onto by Marvin Williams. He knocked the ball around the out-rushing City keeper Ollie Chenoweth, who appeared to catch the striker.

However, the referee waived away the Salisbury appeals. Truro were still on top at this point though and should have added a second when Andy Watkins and Joe Broad teed up Hayles with a strike at goal from just inside the box, but he saw his effort cannon off the crossbar.

It was a defensive lapse that allowed Salisbury back into the match as Truro’s Kelly didn’t close down a long range shot and as Chenoweth parried, Williams was on hand to tuck home the rebound.

Truro hit back with two chances just before half-time, but Salisbury keeper Puddy was on hand to block Watkins close range effort, before turning a shot from Broad round his left hand post.

It was the visitors who started the second half the brighter though as Ryan Brett crossed for Robert Sinclair to send a diving header wide. And then Jason Matthews eased past Arran Pugh on the edge of the box to draw a good save out of Chenoweth.

It was from the resulting corner that Salisbury took the lead as the ball was played short to Williams, who fired an angled drive through a crowd of players and in. The way City switched off from the set-play would have no doubt angered manager Lee Hodges, but his side were given a route back into the match minutes later as Robbie Matthews was shown a straight red card for elbowing Pugh.

Moments later Pugh was at the centre of another controversial decision as Williams went over in the box under challenge from the City defender. However, the referee was in a good position to spot that their hadn’t been any contact and brought out a yellow card for the Salisbury striker.

To make matters worse for the visitors a long ball was then played over the top of their defence for Hayles to run onto. He was subsequently bundled over in the box by a clumsy challenge from Puddy and the referee pointed to the spot.

Salisbury City’s players protested, but to no avail and they had to watch as Walker rescued an unlikely point by smashing the ball into the top right hand corner of the net.