With the rain continuing to fall heavily, Elliot Bolton picked up an early second half yellow card for tapping the ball away after an infringement as Parkway started the half at a good tempo. Walton looked to have lined up with 5 across the back with 4 in front and sit in, content to concede possession and space to Parkway and look to play on the counter with captain Joe Jones influential and organising in central midfield looking to deny Parkway time and space in possession.

On 52 minutes Wright, Beardmore and Dean linked well on the right with the latter’s cross into the 6-yard area being cleared away. With Parkway continuing to press, Beardmore saw his low shot effort from around 20 yards comfortably saved by Barker. On 59 minutes Owusu saw yellow for dissent after being fouled as the flow of the game began to be broken up by a series of niggly stoppages for technical rather than serious offences.

Walton made their 1st change on 61 minutes with Lucas Defise replacing Tobin.  Walton continued to look comfortable defending deep but were being made to battle hard with Parkway continuing to provide a threat in the wide areas but too often their final ball lacked quality or precision allowing the visitors defence to generally command the final third.

On 63 minutes Beardmore and Dean worked an opening on the right with Dean’s cut back smothered by Barker at full stretch.

On 66 minutes more good build up play between Wright, Dean and Beardmore set up Rio Garside just inside the 18-yard area with his well hit shot being tipped over for a corner by Barker. Wright was then booked for dissent as the number of cautions for minor offences began to grow. On 68 minutes Parkway conceded possession in midfield allowing Walton a rare counter attack with Obeng blazing over an angled drive from wide on the right.

Parkway made their 1st change on 69 minutes with the recently signed Joe Wragg replacing Rio Garside. Parkway continued to look to create openings with Jones pace continuing to test the Walton back line with his cross on 70 minutes unfortunately lacking control or direction.

Parkway then forced 2 successive corners, but the visitors defence remained solid, riding their luck on a couple of occasions. With the card count rising Crowhurst was the next offender after hauling back the marauding Jones some 35 yards out centrally with the resultant free kick cannoning off the wall and away to safety.

Wright was replaced by James Watts-Barciela on 76 minutes as Parkway looked to inject some additional pace for the final stages. With Walton countering they won a free kick on the right on 81 minutes with Williams being cautioned for tugging a player back. Watts-Barciela then made a penetrating run along the left getting in behind the Walton backline but his cross on the run flew narrowly over the bar. Beardmore then turned and shot narrowly over after more good build up play along the right as Parkway continued to look for the elusive opening and equaliser.

With Walton looking to manage the game out and slow play down at every opportunity, they replaced Obeng with Eoin Bolger on 86 minutes with Griffiths in the Parkway goal remaining pretty much untested.

With 6 minutes of added time indicated, Beardmore tested Barker again in the 91st minute with Watts-Barciela then firing in a cross which was cleared with Defise the next to be cautioned after a cynical challenge on Jones some 35 yards out. Parkway almost grabbed the equaliser their performance warranted in the 3rd minute of added time only to be denied by an outstanding save by Barker pushing a rising drive from substitute Wragg over the bar for a corner. The game ended on a sour note for Parkway with Williams being shown a 2nd yellow card in the 96th minute.

This appeared to have had more to do with some of the Walton’s players reaction towards the challenge maybe influencing the official rather than to the severity of the offence which seemed to be a robust 50/50 challenge by 2 committed players on a slippery surface on the edge of the visitors 18-yard area.  

An entertaining, well contested game played in gradually more difficult conditions with Parkway holding their own against a well organised, physical and disciplined side who battled well throughout with Parkway unable to turn their considerable pressure into points.

Walton executed their game plan to perfection in the 2nd half with Parkway, despite their dominance of possession, unable to provide the necessary guile, quality or composure in the final third with Walton the more clinical in front of goal when it mattered with their ruthless finishing the arguably the difference between the sides. The win sees Walton leapfrog over AFC Totton to the top of the league with Parkway remaining in 20th place.

Parkway’s performances continue to be encouraging and a work still in progress, but they must soon start turning those performances into points if they are not to be cast adrift in the bottom 4.  Sometimes an ugly win is needed at the expense of a performance of quality.

Their next chance comes on Tuesday when Taunton Town, relegated from the National League South last season, visit Bolitho Park with some former Parkway players in their lineup which should hopefully attract a sizeable crowd. Attention then switches back to the FA Cup next Saturday when Southern League Division 1 (step 4) side Westbury United visit having despatched high flying AFC Totton 3-1 in the previous round