Parkway slip to 4th consecutive defeat
On a perfect afternoon for football, Parkway travelled to Privett Park hoping to notch their first win of the season.
The trip didn’t go according to plan as Parkway faced an impressive Borough side writes Graham Lloyd…
Full Match Report
Images provided by TP Photography
Parkway travelled through 4 ½ hours of Bank Holiday Traffic to Gosport looking to halt a run of 3 successive defeats. 3 changes were made from last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Merthyr Town. Reece Shanley replaced Tyler Ashmead at right back, Brandon Pursall came into central defence for the unavailable Michael Landricombe, with Ben Seymour, returning from suspension, starting up front replacing the unavailable Austen Booth in a change of formation. Mikey Williams and Callum Hall were also unavailable.
Parkway made a bright, positive start with on 2 minutes home keeper Pat O’Flaherty beating Jared Lewington’s angled drive away for a corner. On 6 minutes Ryan Lane’s ball into the left hand channel saw Seymour go clear with his dangerous cross into the 6 yard box just failing to reach Lewington. Parkway’s early pressure did pay off and they took the lead on 9 minutes. More good link up play between Lane and Seymour along the left saw Seymour race clear with O’Flaherty only able to parry his angled shot into the path of Jack Crago who anticipated well to nod home the loose ball from around 6 yards for his first goal of the season. Parkway continued to look the sharper, retaining possession well and on 15 minutes a Lane cross from the left was sliced behind for a corner from which Crago headed just over.
Gosport gradually started to get into the game, winning second balls, switching play from flank to flank looking to stretch the Parkway back line and they drew level on 18 minutes with their first meaningful attack. Patient build up through midfield from right to left saw Rory Williams deliver a quality cross with Dan Wooden stooping low to glance a header wide of Kyle Moore from around 8 yards. The hosts were now into their stride with the pacey Abdulai Baggie causing problems along their left with his strong running and trickery stretching the Parkway defence. On 20 minutes Andreas Robinson flashed a 25 yard effort just wide as Gosport increased their intensity and began to dominate the game. Parkway continued to compete well but were unable to create much going forward as the hosts continued to push forward denying Parkway too much time on the ball restricting them to the occasional counter attack. From one such attack on 25 minutes, good link up play between Lewington and Seymour saw the latter shoot narrowly wide from around 30 yards.
Gosport continued to control the midfield areas with the dangerous Baggie going clear on 30 minutes, cutting inside and firing an angled shot narrowly wide. With the hosts controlling the pace of the game with their fluent passing and movement, Parkway continued to be stretched but were defending solidly but still unable to create too much going forward. On 37 minutes a Harry Kavanagh cross from the right flashed narrowly wide and on 39 minutes Moore did well to just beat the onrushing Wooden and smother the loose ball just inside the 18 yard area. On 43 minutes the elusive Baggie won a free kick 30 yards out on the left which was well defended and cleared to safety. The final action of the half saw a telling cross from the right by Kavanagh find the unmarked Harvey Rew at the far post who headed just over.
After an encouraging first 15 minutes from Parkway, the hosts gradually began to control the game and increased their intensity as the half progressed. Parkway continued to work hard to contain Gosport and restrict their chances but were unable to create too much forward momentum as the game developed into a midfield battle with the hosts looking the better side and offering the greater threat.
Gosport started the 2nd half in the ascendancy and on 47 minutes Lane did well to block a close range effort after neat build up play between Baggie and Wooden. Baggie continued to be a constant threat with Parkway clearing his dangerous cross on 50 minutes. With Parkway being forced to play on the break they almost regained the lead on 52 minutes. Good play between Rio Garside and Seymour along the left forced a corner from which a header back across goal from the back post dropped to Pursall who, close the goal line, stabbed the ball against the base of the post with the hosts managing to hack the ball clear. Gosport continued to dominate possession and apply pressure, mainly along the left flank and on 53 minutes Baggie and Rory Williams combined well to force another corner. On 55 minutes a Parkway counter along the right saw Crago and Seymour link well with Seymour’s angled drive deflected towards the top corner with O’Flaherty pulling off a spectacular save and conceding a corner.
The hosts continued to threaten and their constant pressure finally paid off on 58 minutes. A sweeping move through midfield from left to right saw Matt Paterson acrobatically hook home a cross from the right from around 8 yards. Seymour continued to work hard up front running the channels well with his pace and movement testing the home defence, forcing another corner on the hour mark. On 63 minutes Rory Williams became the first player to be booked as the game continued at a pace and on 64 minutes Baggie again tested the Parkway defence firing an effort just over. Parkway continued to chase and harry in midfield but were unable to gain or retain much possession with the hosts pressing and closing down denying the Parkway midfield time or space on the ball.
Somewhat fortuitously the hosts increased their lead on 68 minutes. A swift break from Baggie saw his curled effort from around 18 yards parried away by Moore with the ball rebounding off Paterson close in with the ball appearing to get a slight deflection from a Parkway defender and rolling over the line. Ashmead replaced Shanley on 73 minutes as Gosport continued to control the pace of the game and look threatening and on 78 minutes a break along the right by Baggie saw him set up Kavanagh whose shot was well saved by Moore. The pacey Seymour continued to test the hosts defence and on 85 minutes Parkway had the opportunity to reduce the deficit via the penalty spot. Seymour once again got beyond the Gosport back line and was bundled over just inside the penalty area. After a short delay, Seymour stepped up only to smash his spot kick against the post with the ball being cleared to safety.
Gosport made a double substitution on 86 minutes with Danny Hollands replacing the outstanding Baggie and Bradley Tarbuck coming on for Robinson. A Parkway free kick on 87 minutes was headed just wide and with 5 minutes stoppage time being signalled the hosts wrapped up the game with 2 further goals. On 92 minutes with the Parkway defence stretched, another flowing move from left to right saw substitute Kyal Williams cut in and fire home a shot from around 20 yards after Moore had parried an earlier effort. Wooden almost doubled his tally on 94 minutes poking an effort just wide after good work by Kyal Williams with the final action on 95 minutes seeing substitute Tarbuck hammering home a penalty after Ashmead had brought down Harry Jewitt-White just inside the area.
A deserved victory for a well organised and fluent Gosport side with a strong second half performance after Parkway had started the game well and for the 3rd time in 5 games taken a first half lead but again were unable to build on it. Parkway matched the hosts for much of the game with their effort and commitment not in question. However they were unable to sustain their efforts and despite generally defending well and creating a few chances of their own, were unable to impose themselves in midfield which lacked the necessary creativity and were ultimately beaten by the better side.
The games do not become any easier as, after a short recovery period, they welcome the league leaders and unbeaten Weston Super Mare to Bolitho Park on Monday who arrive on the back of a 7-0 victory over Harrow Borough today.
Match Info
GOSPORT BOROUGH 5 (Wooden 18, Patterson 58, 68, K Williams 90+2, Tarbuck pen 90+5)
PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 1 (Crago 9)
Parkway:
1 Moore, 2 Shanley (Ashmead 73), 3 Lane ©, 4 Palfrey, 5 Rose, 6 Pursall, 7 Garside, 8 Rooney, 9 Lewington, 10 Seymour, 11 Crago
Substitutes: 12 Ashmead, 14 Goulty (unused), 15 Bleasdale (unused), 16 Mead-Crebbin (gk) (unused)
Gosport:
1 O’Flaherty, 2 Kavanagh, 3 R Williams, 4 Wilson, 8 Rew, 9 Wooden, 11 Jewitt-White, 12 Paterson, 14 Baggie (Tarbuck 86), 15 Walsh-Smith, 16 Robinson (Hollands 86).
Substitutes: 7 Tarbuck, 17, Aitken (unused), 18 Kaba (unused), 19 Hollands, 20 K Williams
Attendance: 690
Parkway Partners
