New Year, Same Battle: Parkway Face Tatnam Test To Kick-Start 2026
Poole Town vs Parkway | Match PreviewBy Mike Parrish
Plymouth Parkway will look to shake off the frustration of a disappointing end to 2025 following a 2-1 home defeat to bottom side Tiverton Town as they prepare for a tough test at Tatnam against an in-form Dolphins side.
The Yellows were left shell-shocked at Bolitho Park after looking set to close out the year on a high, only for a damaging final 15 minutes to undo their hard work and leave them heading into the new year with one thing firmly on their minds, moving away from the danger zone that is currently a little too close for comfort.
Callum Hall had broken the deadlock in the 65th minute to put Parkway in control, but Tiverton refused to go quietly, and Tor Swann inspired a late revival that turned the contest on its head. It was a bitter lesson for a Parkway side who have shown plenty of potential across the first half of the season, but have too often been punished for lapses at key moments.
Chris McPhee spoke honestly afterwards about his side’s capitulation and made it clear that this must be a learning curve, because in this division, switching off for even a short spell can be the difference between a precious win and a painful defeat.
The challenge now is immediate, and it doesn’t get much tougher. Poole Town will relish the chance to kick-start their own 2026 campaign at home, arriving fresh from a fine 2-0 away win at Wimborne Town, and sitting third in the table, just two points behind second-placed Gloucester City.
With star striker Shaquille Gwengwe in inspired form, the Dolphins will be keen to keep their momentum rolling, and Parkway know they will need to be sharper, tougher, and far more streetwise if they are to come away from the south coast with something to show for their efforts.
A training session on Tuesday night will give the management and players time to prepare in the right way for the Tatnam test, but also to reflect on the first half of the season as a whole. It hasn’t all been doom and gloom, and Parkway did put together a run that saw them go 11 games with only one defeat, but there have also been too many moments where three points have turned to one late in games, and sometimes all three have been taken away from them entirely. That is the shift that must change in 2026 if the Yellows are to turn promising spells into real progress.
January is set to be a pivotal month for Parkway, with the Poole test up first, followed by three home fixtures against impressive sides Gosport Borough, Wimborne Town and Farnham Town, along with trips to Uxbridge and Bracknell Town. There will be no easing into the new year, and much will depend on the fitness of striker Rocky Neal, who has been plagued by injury so far this season and missed the festive fixture against Tiverton through illness. Mikey Williams will miss the trip through suspension, but McPhee will be hoping to have as close to a full quota as possible available to him as Parkway look to ignite 2026 in a positive way.
This will be the third clash between the two sides this season, and there is already history between them. Poole took all three points in the league earlier in the campaign when Josh Staunton snatched a late goal in a 1–0 win, but Parkway had their own moment when the sides met again in October in the FA Trophy first round. Locked at 1–1, the tie went to an epic penalty shootout, and it was the Yellows who held their nerve to progress 7–6, a reminder that when this squad gets it right, they are capable of standing tall in the biggest moments.
Now comes the third encounter, and it might prove the most important one of all. Poole Town will look to keep their play-off pursuit in full momentum, while Parkway will look to cut out mistakes and start turning the clear potential in the squad into points on the board.
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