Parkway Turn on the Style to End Season on a High
Gosport Borough v Parkway | Match ReportStarting the season with a disappointing 6-3 defeat away to runaway league champions Walton & Hersham, Parkway would finish the season with a superb performance, and the very same scoreline, as they picked up all three points against a very good Gosport Borough side.
 Gosport BoroughPlymouth Parkway 
3 - 6Full Time |
Full Match Report
Images: Tom Lang
In his final game in charge as interim manager, Stu Dudley made four changes to the team that secured safety last weekend, as Freddy Lamer returned in goal, along with starts for Carlo Garside, the Matador James Watts-Barciela, and the Wizard Mikey Williams.
On a sun-baked afternoon, and in front of a healthy crowd of just over 1,000, with roughly 30 to 40 of the Parkway faithful in attendance, the away side gave their travelling support something to cheer with under two minutes on the clock. A fine in-swinging corner from Watts-Barciela met the head of Jack Veale, who notched his third goal in as many games to put Parkway a goal to the good.
Following the early strike, the game reverted to a controlled, low-tempo affair, with both sides enjoying spells of possession with neat passing and eye-catching movement. Reece Thomson, Watts-Barciela and Rio Garside worked tirelessly to press the Gosport defence, marshalled well by Charlie Wassmer and Jordan Stepney. Ryan Brett was at his usual classy best in midfield, while the Parkway back three of Taylor Scarff, Toby Down and Jack Veale dealt comfortably with the sporadic Gosport attacks, with Hisham Kasimu catching the eye for the hosts.
Parkway doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark. With neat one-touch passing in the build-up, the ball dropped kindly to Rio Garside and, on his 200th appearance for the Yellows, the captain curled a stunning effort into the top left corner to give Parkway a two-goal cushion.
But that cushion would be ripped apart inside three minutes as Gosport drew level. First, Michael Fernandes produced excellent work down the left, beating Toby Down and cutting the ball back for Ben Greenwood, who finished well. Moments later, a corner saw Charlie Wassmer head against the crossbar, with the impressive Kasimu reacting quickest to fire home from close range.
After the chaos of those three minutes, the game settled once again into an absorbing contest. Parkway would strike the next blow before the break as more fine work from Thomson saw the striker take a moment on the touchline before picking out the onrushing Mikey Williams, who finished smartly from six yards to notch his 95th goal in a Parkway shirt and restore the lead.
The second half followed a similar pattern as the Parkway midfield began to dictate the tempo, with both Garside brothers, Ryan Brett and the Matador flourishing in the afternoon sunshine.
And it would be the Matador who produced the moment that got the whole ground talking. Picking the ball up just beyond halfway, Watts-Barciela danced through three Gosport challenges before finding himself clean through on goal, showing composure beyond his years to calmly finish and add Parkway’s fourth.
The entertainment didn’t stop there. Taylor Scarff, turning into prime Paolo Maldini, stepped forward confidently before delivering a perfectly weighted lofted pass into the path of Reece Thomson, who kept his composure to add Parkway’s fifth and reward an outstanding performance.
Parkway thought they had a sixth when Ryan Brett finished off another flowing move, only for the linesman’s flag to deny him. Gosport, still working hard despite the scoreline, responded immediately through Ethan Taylor, who cut inside and finished well to pull one back for the hosts.
Deep into stoppage time, Parkway would have the final word. Substitute Rocky Neal laid the ball on a plate for Reece Thomson, who made no mistake in adding his second of the afternoon and Parkway’s sixth to cap off a superb final day display.
With the euphoria of a superb end-of-season win still settling in, there will be time for reflection on a season that has proved another learning curve in the Southern Premier League South. Without the remarkable late-season turnaround, Parkway may well have been facing a very different outcome.
Interim manager Stuart Dudley was clapped off at full time, accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek chant of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”, as he walked off into the sunset and handed the reins over to incoming manager Karl Curtis.
The supporters, as ever, were a credit to the football club throughout the season, and now they can enjoy a well-earned break as preparations begin for what promises to be a hugely important off-season, not only in shaping the squad for next season, but in continuing to build the Parkway brand across the Plymouth community.
Parkway Partners
