BRIAN Dutton's wait for a first win as Salisbury boss continues, following two heavy home defeats in the space of four days.
Dutton's first game in charge having replaced Steve Claridge earlier this month ended in a draw at North Leigh, but back at the Ray Mac he could not mastermind anything other than big reverses against Metropolitan Police and Truro City.
A late penalty from Brandon Goodship was all the hosts could muster as they lost 4-1 to Met Police on Saturday, before the Whites were seen off 3-0 by Truro on Tuesday night.
Dutton made two changes to his side for the visit of Police. Captain Darren Mullings returned, as did Ben Thomson, with Seokjae Lee and Dan Fitchett dropping to the bench.
Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes to allow the 672 fans to all make their way in, the club's biggest crowd of the season, and they saw Salisbury make the first break forwards. Josh Carmichael was fouled just outside the area, before curling the resulting free-kick over the crossbar.
Met Police quickly went down the other end and took the lead inside three minutes. Goalkeeper Gerard Benfield's pass out the back was short, allowing the visitors to nip in, with Tom Read providing the finishing touch.
Josh Sommerton and Carmichael missed the target for the Whites, before Met Police doubled their lead. Jasper Mather chased a long ball forwards and was brought down by Benfield.
Up stepped Herson Rodrigues-Alves, who made no mistake from 12 yards.
The visitors added to their lead seven minutes into the second half. Rodrigues-Alves was again on the scoresheet, and he would soon have his hat-trick, rising high to head home from a corner.
Substitute Lee missed two decent openings, before Salisbury did pull a goal back. Sam Ashton was fouled in the box, with Goodship stepping up to net from the penalty spot.
Things did not go much better on Tuesday evening, when Paul Wotton's White Tigers came to town.
Dutton made two changes from the weekend, with Lee and Ashton coming in to start as Carmichael and Thomson were benched.
Truro took the lead on 26 minutes after a howler from Benfield. Dan Sullivan's shot from 20 yards looked comfortable for the keeper, but the ball squirmed between his legs and over the line.
Tyler Harvey quickly doubled the lead, as Truro nodded a free-kick back across goal for him to tap home.
Salisbury saw a goal chalked off soon after the restart through Ashton, with the linesman's flag raised.
There was a break in play soon after as one of the assistant referees was forced off through injury and replaced by a spectator.
Truro completed the victory in the final 10 minutes when Benfield flapped at a deep free-kick, presenting the ball to the feet of the opposition, with Ben Adelsbury slotting in.
The defeats left Salisbury 10th in the Southern Premier South table, ahead of tonight's league fixtures.
The Whites go to Dorchester Town on Saturday, before hosting Hanwell Town on Tuesday.
(Pictures: John Rose)
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