Parkway Prove Their Worth in the FA Cup
Plymouth Parkway v Baffins Milton Rovers| Match ReportImages: Lucy Arscott
Parkway entered the FA Cup at the 1st round qualifying stage by entertaining step 5 Wessex Premier League leaders Baffins Milton Rovers who arrived with a 100%-win record in all competitions this season and captained by former professional Brett Pitman. 3 changes were made from Monday’s 0-0 draw at Tiverton Town with Tom Dean, Mitch Beardmore and Rio Garside returning in place of Sam Joce, Ryan Brett and Corey Koerner.
 Plymouth ParkwayBaffins Milton Rovers 
4 - 1Full Time |
Full Match Report
Parkway were quick out of the blocks playing with energy and at a high tempo and almost took the lead on 3 minutes with Beardmore arriving late at the far post just failing to connect with Dylan Jones dangerous cross.
Their next attack a minute later saw them take the lead with Jones firing home an angled drive after patient build up play between Rio Garside and brother Carlo had created the opening.
Parkway continued to play at a high tempo switching their points of attack and looking to utilise the flanks at every opportunity however history repeated itself from recent games in gifting the visitors an equaliser on 8 minutes. An under hit back pass put Luke McCormick under pressure with Tyrhys Lukonhyomoi robbing the keeper and slotting home unchallenged into an empty net.
Parkway quickly regained the initiative and began to dictate and control midfield with Carlo Garside the driving force, looking comfortable in possession and showing a good range of passing with the energetic Callum Hall chasing, pressing, winning tackles and setting up attacking positions.
The visitors were struggling to gain any quality possession, and little was seen of them as an attacking threat allowing the Parkway central defensive duo of Shane White and Taylor Scarff to move forward at will into space and prompt and probe attacking opportunities.
Parkway continued to control the pace of them and dominate possession forcing Baffins to defend deep and on 20 minutes more patient build up play through midfield released Jones who shot over from distance. Jones then saw a close-range effort blocked by Roux Hardcastle in the Baffins goal after neat link up play between Matt Wright and Dean along the right had stretched the visitors defence.
Parkway’s constant pressure brought about their 2nd goal on 23 minutes. Good work by Dean saw his cross into the 6 yard box only partially cleared and then recycled with Wright prodding home an instinctive shot from close range.
Parkway continued to move the ball at pace with the Garside brothers and Hall dominating in midfield and constantly looking to release the wide players. Mikey Williams was being allowed acres of space along the left with his penetrating runs from deep linking frequently with Jones and creating openings with the visitors struggling to stem the tide.
Carlo Garside shot wide from distance on 25 minutes just before the visitors made a rare break forward on 27 minutes with Danny Burroughs cutting in from the left forcing McCormick into a comfortable save low down at his near post.
Parkway continued to build from the back moving the ball at pace and they went further ahead on 32 minutes with Wright doubling his tally by coming in from the left across the edge of the 18 yard area and firing a low angled drive into the far corner from around 15 yards.
With Parkway now totally dominant, frustration began to show from the visitors with Ryan Kennedy receiving the games first caution. Parkway should have gone got their 4th on 35 minutes with Rio Garside being put in the clear and cheekily trying to chip Hardcastle with his effort drifting just over when a less ambitious effort may have been the better option.
Wright and Hall then linked well with the latter’s drive being pushed away by an increasingly busy Hardcastle. On 40 minutes a quick break along the right saw Dean and Beardmore combine well with Beardmore’s attempt to guide the ball in at the far post drift narrowly wide with Hardcastle beaten.
On 42 minutes White found himself in an advanced position in the visitors 18 yard box with his well delivered cross finding Wright at the back post whose powerful close range header was superbly blocked by Hardcastle denying the striker his hattrick.
Parkway continued to build attacks leading up to the break with on 44 minutes a long sweeping diagonal ball from Scarff picking out Jones wide on the left who cut inside but fired wildly over when well placed. A rare break from Baffins on 45 minutes saw Lukonyomoi fire over leaving McCormick untroubled as he had been for most of the half. The half ended with Wright blazing well over from close range after Baffins had failed to fully clear a free kick.
A commanding half from Parkway who started and continued at a high tempo throughout with the visitors, although competing well, having no real respite from Parkway’s slick passing and moving style of play. They were good value for and deserving of their 3-1 lead which, had their finishing been more clinical coupled with some outstanding goalkeeping could have been more.
Baffins made a double substitution at half time with Jason Parish and Fin Bello replacing Kennedy and Cam Smith. Parkway started the half at pace with Jones going clear on the left in the 46th minute with his cross into the 6 yard area being cleared before he was caught narrowly offside a minute later after being slid in by Hall.
Parkway continued to dominate possession playing with purpose and energy with Hall a constant threat and Carlo Garside continuing to control midfield with his awareness and quality and range of passing. On 51 minutes Williams and Jones linked well along the left with a cross into the 6 yard area finding Dean who collided with Bello who sustained a head injury causing play to be halted for a few minutes with Bello fortunately being able to continue after treatment.
On 57 minutes Beardmore and Dean created an opening on the right with Dean driving in an effort with the outside of his foot which Hardcastle did well to push away at full stretch for a corner. With the pace now dropping slightly Baffins began to see more possession without creating much or looking too threatening with Lukonyomoi their most dangerous player with his jinking runs wide on the left. McCormick was still be tested with the Parkway defence dealing comfortably with the visitor’s sporadic attacks which generally lacked quality or penetration.
Pitman shot wide from distance on 59 minutes with Hall then breaking clear at pace on the hour and curling a rasping drive narrowly beyond the far post. With Parkway continuing to apply pressure, they got their 4th goal in the 61st minute.
A neat exchange between Williams and Rio Garside down the left saw the latter get beyond the last defender and stand up a cross from the bye line to the far post where Wright climbed highest to nod home from close range to complete his hattrick.
With Parkway now in complete control they won a free kick 30 yards out which was deflected for a corner with the visitors defence continuing to come under pressure. Baffins made a further 2 changes on 65 minutes with Charlie Bell and Charlie Luff replacing Harvey Welham and Burroughs.
Parkway then made changes on 69 minutes with Gene Price and Corey Koerner replacing Hall and Williams both of whom had put in tireless shifts. Parkway continued to create half chances at will and almost forged further ahead on 73 minutes with Wright unselfishly squaring to Price whose close range effort was bravely blocked by a Baffins defender.
Baffins made their final change on 74 minutes with Tom Paterson replacing Arthur Kerton. Rio Garside then picked up an unnecessary yellow card with Jones being replaced by James Watts-Barciela on 78 minutes.
Approaching the last 10 minutes and with the intensity and tempo dropping, Pitman saw a shot deflected for a corner which was cleared for a second corner with Scarff doing well to block Lukonyomoi’s follow up shot. Despite Baffins now having a more even share of possession, it was still Parkway who looked the more dangerous going forward particularly along the flanks where they continually got in behind the Baffins backline creating numerous half chances.
On 82 minutes Wright saw his close range effort blocked by Hardcastle after a neat cross from Price. Callum Rose replaced Rio Garside on 84 minutes as Parkway looked to see the game out which they managed to do comfortably with Chris McPhee replacing Wright in the 1st minute of the 4 added to allow Wright to draw the applause of the crowd for his hattrick and whole hearted display.
A comfortable and comprehensive win for Parkway against a side from 2 steps below who despite working hard throughout had few answers to Parkways fast, free flowing football and created little leaving McCormick in the home goal a virtual spectator for much of the game. Not forgetting that Baffins had a 100% win record in all competitions this season and may have fancied their chances of causing an upset, the margin of victory probably highlighted the difference in standard between steps 3 and 5.
Parkway now progress to Monday’s draw having finally gained their first win of the season at the 6th attempt.
The win and performance should now boost confidence and give Parkway something to build on with two tough home games to come in quick succession. High flying 2nd placed Walton and Hersham are the visitors next Saturday followed by Taunton Town, relegated from the National League South last season, the following Tuesday.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Plymouth Parkway
1 McCormick, 2 Dean, 5 Scarff, 6 White ©, 7 Williams (Price 68), 8 Hall (Koerner 68), 10 R Garside, (Rose 84), 11 Jones (Watts-Barciela 78), 14 Beardmore, 17 Wright (McPhee 90+1), 20 C Garside.
Substitutes:
9 McPhee, 12 Koerner, 16 Rose, 18 Price, 19 Watts-Barciela
1 Hardcastle, 2 Chandler, 3 Fox, 4 Kerton (Paterson 74), 5 Kennedy (P
Baffins Milton Rovers
arish 46), 6 Sanders, 7 Welham (Luff 65), 8 Pitman ©, 9 Lukonyomoi, 10 Burroughs (Bell 65), 11 Smith (Bello 46)
Substitutes:
12 Bello, 14 Cornwell (unused), 15 Bell, 16 Parish, 17 Paterson, 18 Tai (unused), 19 Luff
Attendance: 234 (estimate 20 away)
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