Another last minute Cup goal sends Parkway out of the FA Trophy
Parkway had to make the long midweek trip to National League side Barnet after the tie had been postponed due to a frozen pitch last Saturday.
FA rules state a postponed tie must be played within 5 day of the original date. One change was from made from the Bracknell game 2 weeks ago with Aaron Goulty starting in place of the unavailable Harrison King.
 Barnet FCPlymouth Parkway 
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Full Match Report
Barnet started at a fast pace dominating the early stages with Parkway quickly adjusting to their surroundings forcing an early corner on 7 minutes which was comfortably defended by the hosts.
Barnet continued to look the more threatening particularly along their left with Sam Beard and Sean Shields prominent. On 13 minutes a loose Parkway clearance was seized upon but a fine sliding challenge from Callum Rose averted the danger giving the hosts their first corner.
Having gradually adjusted to the pace of the game, Parkway competed tenaciously in midfield, defended in numbers and were looking to play on the counter.
On 16 minutes one such counter attack saw Ben Seymour brought down around 20 yards out when clear, arguably by the last man, with Billy Palfrey’s free kick being comfortably saved by Laurie Walker.
Barnet continued to dominate possession but Parkway were matching the hosts denying them any scoring opportunities. Beard and Shields continued to look dangerous along the left and on 19 minutes Beard’s dangerous cross into the 6 yard area found Harry Pritchard who glanced his header well wide.
Play became a bit scrappy and fragmented with a series of free kicks in midfield being awarded to both sides with clear chances few and far between.
Barnet continued to work their left channel but too often their final ball lacked quality or direction with the Parkway defence and Adam Parkes in their goal remaining relatively untroubled. Barnet continued to apply pressure and on 31 minutes some slack Parkway defending gifted the hosts a corner which fortunately came to nothing.
The first clear chance of the game came on 38 minutes when yet another deep cross from the left found Nicke Kabamba whose close range header was superbly clawed away by Parkes and cleared to safety. Parkway responded well, continued to work hard, defend resolutely, compete all over the pitch and look to stretch the hosts on the break.
Those qualities almost paid off on 42 minutes when a long ball from Rio Garside found Seymour racing clear and spinning off his marker with his angled drive from around 18 yards flashing across the face of Walker’s goal.
The final action of the half in the added minute of stoppage time saw a dangerous cross from Ryan De Havilland headed behind by the imposing Rose with Parkway comfortably clearing the resultant corner.
As expected a half generally controlled by the hosts but despite their dominance of possession, they were only able to create one clear chance.
This was primarily due to Parkway’s organisation, determination and competitiveness across all areas of the pitch. Not pretty at times but very effective.
Parkway started the 2nd half sharply with Mikey Williams winning the ball in the Barnet half and releasing Jack Crago who was just eased out by a Barnet defender close to the dead ball line with the ball going out for a goal kick.
Barnet then upped the tempo and on 51 minutes an important block by Rose conceded a corner after more good play along the Barnet left. The hosts continued to apply pressure and on 58 minutes another cross from the left found Kabamba who headed narrowly over.
Parkway continued to play on the break and on 61 minutes persistent play by Seymour saw him win the ball close to the dead ball line and square the ball to Crago who was denied a shot by a piece of strong defending. Both sides made changes on 62 minutes with Dan Rooney replacing the industrious Callum Hall and Louie Annesley being replaced by Rob Hall for the hosts.
Barnet continued to threaten forcing a series of corners which once again were well defended by Parkway who continued compete strongly.
On 64 minutes Pritchard saw yellow for a challenge in midfield as the hosts looked to break up a Parkway attack. On 65 minutes Parkes did well to save low down from another Kabamba header as Parkway continued to deny the hosts. Williams then saw his header comfortably saved by Walker from a Parkway free kick on the right.
On 67 minutes Barnet should have taken the lead after the dangerous Kabamba raced clear but was tracked stride for stride by Williams who did enough to pressurise the striker into firing narrowly over the bar.
Parkway then had a gilt edged chance of their own on 70 minutes when Ryan Lane’s corner found Crago whose close range header flashed narrowly wide.
Barnet continued to create chances and on 73 minutes Shields saw his goal bound effort blocked by an Austen Booth header for another corner which was comfortably cleared. Shields was denied again on 75 minutes when his header was cleared off the line by Rose with Parkes pouncing on the loose ball in the 6 yard area.
Both sides then made their 2nd substitutions on 78 minutes with Ollie Hulbert replacing the tireless Seymour and Dan Powell replacing the impressive Shields for the hosts.
On 79 minutes Lane made a strong run forward along the left with his dangerous cross being cleared. With play opening up and players beginning to tire, Barnet thought they had taken the lead on 80 minutes with Danny Collinge’s header into the bottom corner being ruled out for a previous foul. Palfrey then saw a shot from around 18 yards well saved by Walker after good work by Hulbert with Barnet then breaking clear and winning a free kick on the right which flashed just wide.
On 85 minutes Parkway created another good chance with Hulbert linking well with Crago whose angled drive went straight at Walker who saved well. Parkway were finishing the game strongly and on 88 minutes another Lane cross found Hulbert whose header was on target but lacked the necessary power to trouble Walker who saved easily.
On 90 minutes Beard was replaced by Sam Woods and with the game seemingly heading towards a penalty shootout and 3 minutes of added time being indicated.
Barnet finally got the breakthrough in the 1st minute of stoppage time. Substitute Powell found himself in the clear on the left, cut inside and from around 15 yards drilled a low shot into the bottom right hand corner off the base of the post past the despairing dive of Parkes. Parkway then threw everyone including Parkes into the Barnet 18 yard area and almost grabbed a dramatic equaliser.
The ball was worked out to Garside whose rasping drive from around 18 yards was pushed behind by Walker at full stretch with hosts clearing the subsequent corner and the referee blowing for full time shortly after.
Parkway can be very proud of their performance on the night by pushing Barnet, who sit 5th in the National League, all the way with a totally committed, well organised and determined display.
They competed and defended superbly throughout, at times under considerable pressure, showed tremendous character and created enough chances on the break of their own to have won a game of fine margins.
To have progressed through 3 rounds of a National competition and only narrowly be eliminated by a side from 2 leagues higher is a terrific achievement by the staff and players alike.
Attention will now turn to the league where they must look to capitalise on their numerous games in hand and build on recent performances.
It doesn’t get much tougher with their next game on Boxing Day at home to ground sharers 2nd placed Truro City followed by a visit to league leaders Weston Super Mare on Monday 3 January. Hold tight!
Match Info
Barnet:
1 Walker, 3 Annesley (Hall 62), 4 Collinge 5 Armstrong, 6 Okimo, 9 Kabamba, 14 Pritchard, 21 Wynter ©, 23 Beard (Woods 90 +1), 32 Shields (Powell 78), 33 De Havilland.
Substitutes: 35 Fedorov-Uzuagu (GK) (unused), 7 Hall, 10 Powell, 18 Smith (unused), 27 Diarra (unused), 28 Woods
Parkway:
1 Parkes, 2 Goulty, 3 Lane ©, 4 Palfrey, 5 Rose, 6 Booth, 7 Williams, 8 Garside, 9 Seymour (Hulbert 78), 10 Hall (Rooney 62), 11 Crago
Substitutes: 12 Stephens (unused), 14 Rooney, 15 Down (unused), 16 Hulbert
Attendance: 336 (20 away)
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