Parkway and Winchester City play out 1-1 draw at Home Park
Parkway vs Winchester City | Match ReportPlaying their 2nd game in 48 hours, Parkway were indebted to Plymouth Argyle for allowing them the use of their Home Park facilities as they looked to catch up on their outstanding fixtures.
They were rewarded with a decent sized attendance looking to be in the early to mid 4 figures with some still queuing to get in at kick off time. 3 changes were made from Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at AFC Totton with Alex Cairo, Mikey Williams and Cameron Sangster replacing Callum Rose, Oscar Halls and Callum Hall respectively.
 Plymouth ParkwayWinchester City 
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Winchester forced an early corner which came to nothing but it was Parkway who were quickly into their stride dictating the pace of the early stages. On 8 minutes a cross from the left by Ryan Lane found Sangster whose snapshot from around 18 yards was deflected and cleared.
With Parkway moving the ball and linking well in midfield, on 13 minutes a neat one two between Lane and Williams near the bye line was well defended and cleared. On 14 minutes a flowing move along the right involving Cairo, Sangster and Reece Thomson saw Jack Crago hook home a cross from close range only to be adjudged narrowly offside.
Against the run of play and as a result of a Parkway mistake, it was the visitors who took the lead on 15 minutes. Shane White’s under hit back pass to Adam Parkes allowed Trevor Caborn to intercept, round the stranded keeper and slot into an empty net.
Parkway quickly regrouped and reacted well continuing to dominate the midfield exchanges playing at a high tempo and they deservedly drew level on 23 minutes.
Patient build up play along the left saw Williams advance from deep and link well with Thomson whose cross into the 6 yard area was cleared only as far as Tom Purrington who drilled a low drive from around 22 yards through a crowded 18 yard area into the bottom corner.
From the restart Parkway almost took the lead. A long ball into the Winchester 18 yard area saw Crago pressurise Jordan Rose into a misguided back pass to Luke Cairney which evaded the keeper, bounce off the right hand post and get cleared for a corner from which Crago headed narrowly over.
Parkway continued to dominate possession and control the midfield area looking to switch play at every opportunity forcing the hosts to defend deep and deny them any forward momentum with Parkway defending comfortably and Parkes remaining relatively untested.
Parkway continued to create half chances but were unable to convert them or draw any saves from Cairney however they should have taken the lead on 35 minutes.
A long clearance by Cairo picked out Crago wide on the left who raced clear under pressure from a defender and cut inside only to find the side netting with his angled drive. A good opportunity spurned.
On 37 minutes a rare break forward by the visitors forced a free kick wide on the left with Williams doing well to block and then clear a back post header.
Parkway continued to dictate the pace and press Winchester in midfield denying them time or space on the ball as they continued to probe openings and on 41 minutes they almost took the lead.
The visitor’s Will Griggs picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul having tested the referee’s patience once too often with Rio Garside’s free kick from around 30 yards deceiving everyone and smashing against the cross bar and eventually being cleared by some desperate defending.
Parkway were then unnecessarily caught offside from another free kick with Sangster seeing yellow shortly after. Parkway continued to look the sharper in the 4 added minutes but were unable to create any further scoring chances with the visitor’s defending solidly.
A half generally controlled by Parkway who, despite once again conceding a goal from a mistake, were the more dominant side, created the better chances and with more clinical finishing and a slice of luck could have been a couple of goals ahead.
Winchester made a double change at the break with Jamie Barron and Simba Miambo replacing Dan Jones and Devon Arnold respectively. Parkway won an early free kick which was poorly delivered allowing the visitors to easily clear their lines.
Winchester made a sharp start to the half but it was Parkway who almost took the lead on 54 minutes. A penetrating run along the left by Lane saw his cross pick out Garside whose shot from around 15 yards was deflected or a corner.
An almighty scramble close to the goal line then ensued with some desperate Winchester defending and blocking with claims the ball had crossed the line at one point of the melee but not given by the officials.
Parkway continued to threaten and on 59 minutes a free flowing passage of play saw the ball move from left to right at pace ending with Cairo firing an angled drive wide from distance. Williams then made a trademark mazy run forward from deep only to marginally over hit his through ball to Crago as Parkway continued on the offensive.
On the hour Dylan Jones replaced Thomson who appeared to have taken a knock in the earlier goalmouth scramble.
Play gradually began to become more even with Winchester seeing more of the ball in midfield and looking to play on the counter with the pacey Miambo their intended outlet and target man.
On 61 minutes Parkes did well to rush from his line to smother a loose ball just inside the 18 yard area ahead of Caborn who had gone clear of the last defender.
On 65 minutes Parkway conceded possession cheaply in midfield allowing a Winchester break which was well defended but given offside in any case. Crago continued to win his fair share of 50/50 headers but too often lacked the close support to pick up the second balls.
Play continued at an intense pace from end to end and on 69 minutes Williams linked with Jones who, showing good close control and skill, crossed to Purrington whose shot from around 20 yards was cleared. A long ball into the left channel by Lane saw Cairney just get to the ball ahead of Crago as Parkway continued to apply pressure but were unable to create further chances.
Winchester made their final change on 70 minutes with Sam Ashton replacing Ollie Balmer. Jones then saw his angled shot blocked on 72 minutes after being sent clear by Lane.
Lane was then called into action at the opposite end doing well to track Miambo and block his shot. Parkway made their final changes on 75 minutes with Matt Wright and Callum Hall replacing Crago and Purrington respectively. Winchester continued to look dangerous on the counter and on 76 minutes a one on one on the left saw Ashton go clear and fire just wide when well placed.
Wright and Cairo then linked well with the latter’s cross into the danger area cleared. Parkway continued to press and on 80 minutes Jones went clear on the left and set up Hall who shot wide from around 20 yards.
With both sides seemingly not content with a draw or looking to close out the game, Parkway continued to push forward leaving spaces at the back and on 85 minutes Miambo’s cross from the right was well defended with Hall seeing yellow shortly after for a foul around halfway.
Parkes did well to gather a cross under pressure on 86 minutes as the visitors finished strongly and they really should have scored in the 89th minute.
Miambo and Caborn went clear creating a two on one situation with Miambo releasing Caborn who screwed his angled effort from around 15 yards wide of the right hand post. Undoubtedly a massive let off for Parkway.
In the 4 minutes of added time Parkway created a further chance with a cross from the right seeing a close range header cleared.
Tempers then became heated in the technical area with the Parkway manager and a member of the visitors coaching staff yellow carded for some chatter. The final action saw an excellent piece of one on one recovery defending by Toby Down, who had once again defended solidly all game, denying the dangerous Miambo a shot on target.
A hotly contested, well fought game with Parkway the better side in the first half creating the clearer scoring opportunities with the second half a much more even affair with both sides creating chances but unable to convert and both defences remaining solid.
Parkway will be disappointed not to have secured the victory which their overall performance probably warranted but will be glad to have halted the run of 5 consecutive defeats. However they remain in 20th position, the third relegation slot, 5 points adrift of safety, still with games in hand but albeit those games gradually reducing.
Life doesn’t get easier as Saturday sees Parkway play their 3rd game in 5 days with a trip up the M5/M4 to Bracknell Town who lie 7th in the table just 4 points off a playoff place and clearly with all still to play for. They have 4 wins a draw and a loss in their last 6 games so another tough challenge is envisaged.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Plymouth Parkway
1 Parkes, 2 Cairo, 3 Lane ©, 4 Purrington (Hall 74), 5 White, 6 Down, 7 Williams, 8 Sangster, 9 Thomson (Dylan Jones 60), 10 Garside, 11 Crago (Wright 74)
Substitutes
12 Dylan Jones, 14 Hall, 15 Callum Rose (unused), 16 Halls (unused), 17 Wright
Winchester City
1 Cairney ©, 2 McCormick, 3 King, 4 Dan Jones (Barron 46), 5 Jordan Rose, 6 Nolan, 7 Smith, 8 Griggs, 9 Balmer (Ashton 69), 10 Caborn, 11 Arnold (Miambo 46)
Substitutes
12 Barron, 14 Miambo, 15 Ashton, 16 Mott (unused), 17 Brooks (unused)
Attendance: Estimate 1250 (estimate 15 away)
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