A Rocky Road but Parkway put their Name in the Hat
Parkway v Gosport Borough | Match ReportPlymouth Parkway came into this Isuzu FA Trophy third qualifying round tie against Southern League Premier South counterparts Gosport Borough carrying the baggage of a bruising few weeks: late goals on the road, set pieces mismanaged, bodies short and confidence thin.
Bolitho felt worryingly quiet at kick-off, subdued stands, a hint of frustration, until a travelling drum and a carnival pocket of Boro support injected some much needed noise.
Chris McPhee again patched a side together, this time with Rocky Neal back from a lay-off to lead the line. When Gosport went two up it threatened a familiar story; instead, Parkway changed tack, found the composure and directness that had been missing, and put their name in Monday’s first-round-proper draw.
 Plymouth ParkwayGosport Borough 
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Gosport’s plan was simple and effective early on: sit compact, counter quickly and test a back line short on confidence. Parkway kept the ball without much intent, and the visitors carved the clearer moments, the opener arriving on 25 minutes when the lively Rafa Ramos split the defence and finished low across Mack Allan. Before the interval the lead might have grown, only hurried touches and last-ditch blocks keeping the deficit at one.
The second half initially followed the same pattern, and, on 60 minutes, Gosport doubled the lead. Trevor Carborn arrived untracked to steer in from close range, as the away end broke into a rendition of ‘Wonderwall’.
A third nearly followed, Allan producing a point-blank save that kept the tie alive and, in hindsight, turned the afternoon. From there Parkway altered the terms and, perhaps drawing on recent reminders about “putting it in the mixer”, went more direct: quicker service, earlier balls stood up into the area, asking Gosport to defend facing their own goal.
The response was swift. On 63 minutes Rocky finally took possession to feet inside the box, rolled his marker and finished low to halve the deficit. Bolitho woke up. Set pieces, so often a sore point, became the route back and, ten minutes later, a deep in swinging corner found Jack Veale, who arrived at the right time to force the equaliser from close range, a funny symmetry given the recent catalogue of goals conceded from corners.
Gosport still threatened on the counter and there were moments to manage, but Parkway handled them with cleaner decisions and more nous from their senior heads. Mikey Williams and Ryan Brett led by example and galvanised the side, encouraging younger teammates to keep pushing. The winner came on 86 minutes: Veale delivered from the right, Brett glanced on, and Rocky took one steadying touch before slotting home
The expected onslaught never quite materialised. One half-hearted penalty shout aside, Bolitho breathed a sigh of relief as the home crowd tasted victory for the first time in a long time.
Given the context, Tylor Love-Holmes recalled by Truro City, Taylor Scarff suspended, Carlo Garside out, Cruis Nyadzayo unavailable, this was an important, morale-boosting cup win rather than a cure-all scenario.
It restores a measure of confidence, underlines Rocky’s importance and credits a group that adjusted when Plan A wasn’t working.
Jake Smith was tidy in midfield, Williams and Brett set standards throughout, and Allan’s save at 0–2 mattered. Parkway will discover their opponents for the first round proper on Monday, before a significant league meeting with bottom-placed Bracknell Town at the Theatre of Trees next Saturday afternoon.
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