A late Seymour Penalty gives Parkway all three points at Bolitho
Parkway entertained 6th placed and playoff contenders Swindon Supermarine who arrived boasting a 9 match unbeaten run and off the back of a 6-1 win at Winchester City last Saturday.
Parkway made one change to the starting lineup from Tuesday’s win over Gosport Borough with Ben Seymour returning from injury replacing Gabe Billington who dropped to the bench.
 Plymouth ParkwaySwindon Supermarine 
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After a shaky first couple of minutes Parkway took the lead in the 4th minute. A strong run by Aaron Goulty along the right drew a free kick which was punched clear by Josh Gould with the loose ball going behind for a corner from which Austen Booth showing good movement and anticipation glanced home a near post header.
The visitors responded almost immediately with Sam Turl’s low cross in the 7th minute being palmed away at full stretch by Harrison Lee in the home goal. Swindon swiftly began to control the game with their sharp movement and incisive passing stretching Parkway all over the pitch with James Edge highly influential in central midfield. On 16 minutes Zack Kotwicka cut inside firing in a low shot which Callum Rose did well to block at the expense of a corner.
The visitors continued to dominate possession with Parkway unable to get a foothold in the game or gain any quality possession. Parkway were being forced to work hard to stem the tide as the visitors continued to press forward in numbers and look threatening with every attack. On 17 minutes Rio Garside became the first player to be booked for a foul as Swindon continued to apply pressure with a Tyrone Duffus cross-cum-shot just clearing the bar.
Swindon continued to outplay Parkway and almost equalised in the 25 minute with the imposing Conor McDonagh’s looping header rebounding off the post and bouncing around in the 6 yard area with Lee eventually bravely dropping on the loose ball.
Parkway continued to compete and defend well but were being restricted to the occasional counter attacks by the visitors who remained dominant in midfield with Edge outstanding in winning numerous balls and setting up attacks with his probing passing and vision. On 27 minutes Jack Crago did well to win a challenge in midfield and stride forward with his shot from around 25 yards being easily defended. Swindon continued to threaten and on 28 minutes Henry Spalding drifted in from the left forcing a flying save at full stretch by Lee.
From the resultant corner Lee again did well by punching the ball away through a crowd of bodies whilst under considerable pressure. With the visitors continuing to move the ball well through the lines and Parkway still unable to have any meaningful possession, on 33 minutes Ryan Lane became the second Parkway player to be booked as they continued to come under pressure.
Lee was called into action again on 38 minutes after Parkway had conceded possession in midfield allowing Spalding to race clear and release James Harding whose shot was superbly saved low down by Lee.
Parkway were creating little in the final third with Swindon looking comfortable at the back and it was no surprise when they deservedly equalised in the 40th minute.
Parkway were unable to clear a corner from the left with the ball finding it’s way to the edge of the 18 yard area wide on the right with central defender Duffus curling a superb effort into the far corner through a crowded 18 yard box.
Lane then conceded a free kick centrally some 25 yards out with Joe Tumelty’s effort rebounding off the wall and away to safety. A rare Parkway break on 45 minutes saw Goulty and Dan Rooney link well with the latter’s cross shot flashing past Gould’s right hand post.
The half ended in 2 minutes of added time with the dangerous Spalding turning and pulling his shot narrowly wide from around 15 yards.
Despite conceding an early goal, Swindon quickly took charge of the game giving arguably the best half of quality football seen at Bolitho Park by a visiting team this season.
Overrun in midfield and creating little up front with Gould rarely called into action, only solid and at times desperate Parkway defending and three terrific saves by Lee kept the scores level at the break.
Parkway started the second half brightly and at a higher tempo forcing an early free kick on the edge of the 18 yard area which was cleared away.
The visitors then broke clear along the right earning a corner which was gathered cleanly by Lee under some pressure. On 53 minutes Parkway were forced into a substitution with Mikey Williams, returning from injury, replacing Toby Down who had taken a knock. The game now became more even with Parkway seeing more of the ball in midfield and beginning to stretch the visitors and gaining more forward momentum.
On 57 minutes a Parkway free kick was headed behind for a corner as they began to build pressure with the Swindon defence being forced deeper. On the hour Bradley Hooper replaced Tumelty for the visitors with Turl the next to pick up a booking.
Parkway continued to press with the energetic Callum Hall a dominant force in midfield and it was he who almost put the hosts ahead.
On 64 minutes after linking well with Williams he surged forward from deep, evaded a couple of tackles and unleashed a powerful strike from around 25 yards forcing Gould into a superb save pushing the ball behind for a corner.
Harrison King then replaced the hard working Garside with Goulty moving into midfield and King taking up his customary right wing back position.
With Parkway now the more dominant side and having their best spell of the game, on 66 minutes a long headed clearance from Booth saw Gould just beat Seymour to the loose ball on the edge of the 18 yard area.
On 68 minutes another break from deep by the tenacious Hall saw him link well with Lane along the left with the cross being blocked and cleared.
King began to have an impact with his strong running wide on the right and on 71 minutes he got in behind Swindon defence with his dangerous cross being sliced just over bar from close the goal line by Matt Liddiard.
Parkway now looking the stronger and fitter side continued to control the game by dominating possession in midfield and creating the better opportunities with Swindon being forced on to the defensive and becoming less of an attacking threat.
On 75 minutes a Parkway break along the left saw Lane fouled just outside the 18 yard box with his free kick seeing Seymour glance a header narrowly wide. With Parkway continuing to apply pressure along the flanks and looking to create openings, on 77 minutes Kotwicka saw yellow for a foul halting another Parkway attack with Edge also being booked shortly after.
On 78 minutes a neat exchange between Crago and Seymour almost breached the Swindon defence with Gould gathering the loose ball very close to the edge of the 18 yard area. Parkway continued to press high and on 85 minutes another flowing passage of play featuring Williams and Hall saw the final ball being slightly overhit thereby relieving the pressure on the Swindon defence.
Parkway’s constant pressure finally paid off as they retook the lead in dramatic fashion in the 87th minute. Another forceful run by King wide on the right saw him reach the byeline after a superb piece of skill bisected 2 defenders leaving them trailing in his wake.
Showing excellent vision he pulled the ball back to Seymour around 10 yards out who was brought down as he turned to shoot with the referee immediately awarding a penalty.
After a short delay and the visitor’s protests had subsided, Seymour showing ice cool temperament in a pressure situation, coolly hammered home the spot kick. Seymour was then replaced by Billington for the final few minutes as Parkway looked to shore up the midfield for the expected final Swindon onslaught which never really came and in the 5 minutes of added time Parkway managed to see the game out with a frustrated Crago picking up a late yellow card for a spot of retaliation.
In tricky conditions on a difficult surface, a highly entertaining game with a well drilled, well organised Swindon by far the superior outfit in the first showing why they were on a long unbeaten run and pushing for a playoff spot.
To their credit Parkway defended and competed well but were probably slightly fortunate to be all square at half time. Parkway came on much stronger in the second half gradually gaining control in midfield with their timely substitutions having an immediate impact and arguably changing the course of the game.
The win sees Parkway climb a place to 11th, exactly half way in the table and now closer to the playoffs, 12 points than they are to the relegation zone, 15 points. The win also extends their long unbeaten home league run to 12 games with their last home defeat being to leaders Weston Super Mare on the 29th August.
Parkway now have a short period of rest and recovery before returning to Bolitho Park on Tuesday for their 3rd home game in 8 days when 9th placed Metropolitan Police are the visitors. The reverse fixture in January saw the Police run out narrow 1-0 winners and they will arrive off the back of a 1-1 draw at Poole Town today with Poole equalising in the 94th minute.
Match Info
Lineups:
Parkway:
1 Lee, 2 Goulty, 3 Lane ©, 4 Down (Williams 53), 4 Rose, Booth, 7 Hall, 8 Rooney, 9 Seymour (Billington 88), 10 Garside (King 65), 11 Crago.
Substitutes:
12 Billington, 14 Williams, 15 Bath, (unused), 16 King.
Swindon Supermarine:
1 Gould, 2 Turl, 3 Campbell, 4 Edge, 5 Duffus, 6 Liddiard ©, 7 Spalding, 8 Tumelty (Hooper 59), 9 McDonagh, 10 Harding, 11 Kotwicka
Substitutes:
12 Hooper, 14 Sesay (unused), 15 Morrison (unused).
Attendance: 461
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