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Connor Riley-Lowe: Truro City sign Exeter defender on loan
Truro City have signed Exeter City left-back Connor Riley-Lowe on a six-month loan deal.
The 19-year-old made five appearances for the Grecians last season after graduating for their academy, including three starts in League Two.
“We tried to get him last season before we got Danny Greenslade in,” Truro manager Steve Tully told BBC Sport.
“He’s a player I’ve always liked and I’ve seen him develop as a player while I was at Exeter.”
Riley-Lowe is the latest addition to the squad following the signing of former Exeter players Aaron Dawson and Martin Rice earlier this month and the National League South club also have the option to extend his loan if required.
“If he’s doing well for us and playing, they’ll want to keep an eye on him because he’s only got a year’s contract,” Tully said.
“Long-term, I’d like to try and keep him for the season, he’s a player who will only get better the longer he plays with us.”
Meanwhile, Tully is still looking to add to his forward line as the club prepares for a return to the second-highest level of non-league football after two years way.
“We’re trying to get the right centre-forward in for us, and if the right centre-forward come along I’m sure the chairman will back us,” he added.
“We’ve had a few trialists in, but we’re being very careful with who we decide to sign.”
Truro City boss Lee Hodges says he is very happy with the way his squad is shaping up ahead of the start of the new season, which gets underway in just over two weeks.
From looking worryingly short of quality players a few weeks ago, the White Tigers’ squad now has a far healthier look.
The Vanarama National League South side’s latest additions are the highly-rated Exeter City pair Max Smallcombe and Alex Hartridge, both 19.
Midfielder Smallcombe, from Bodmin, is a Wales youth international and defender Hartridge impressed last season while on loan at Treyew Road. They have both signed six-month deals.
Smallcombe impressed in Sunday’s 2-0 home friendly defeat against a Cardiff City XI and was desperately unlucky not to score with a great strike which rattled the bar.
Hartridge, who also did well against Cardiff, has made one first team appearance for Exeter, as has Smallcombe
