Defeat for Parkway on return to Southern League action
Basingstoke Town vs Parkway | Match ReportDue to 6 consecutive postponements, 4 at home and 2 away, Parkway returned to action for the first time since the 1-0 home defeat by Beaconsfield Town on 30 January.
4 changes were made to the starting line up with Alex Cairo replacing the suspended Shane White and Oscar Halls, Callum Hall and Reece Thomson replacing Callum Rose, Rio Garside and Matt Wright respectively.
 Basingstoke Town FCPlymouth Parkway 
1 - 0Full Time |
Full Match Report
Images: Dave Harry
The game got off to a cagey start with both sides probing with the first chance falling to the hosts on 7 minutes with Liam Ferdinand slicing his volleyed effort wide. Parkway then won a free kick centrally some 30 yards out with Ryan Lane firing way off target.
Play continued to be fairly even with the hosts Bradley Wilson looking dangerous along the left with his cross being flicked narrowly over by Ferdinand on 13 minutes. Play continued to flow at a pace with a long ball on 14 minutes falling to Reece Thomson who fired over from around 25 yards. Basingstoke began to dominate the midfield exchanges with Parkway looking to go more direct with long balls into the channels.
On 20 minutes Tom Purrington released Callum Hall whose shot went harmlessly wide. With both defences looking solid and neither goalkeeper being unduly tested, the hosts should have taken the lead on 21 minutes. A mix up at the back saw possession unnecessarily conceded in the Parkway 18 yard area with Ferdinand rounding Adam Parkes, being forced wide and fail to hit the target from close range. A let off for Parkway.
On 24 minutes a training ground free kick routine on the left between Lane and Mikey Williams saw a low cross reach Thomson who fired wide from a tight angle. Basingstoke continued to create the clearer chances without testing Parkes with Ashleigh Artwell steering his close range header narrowly wide on 26 minutes when he should have done better.
The hosts continued to dominate midfield with Parkway unable to retain too much possession or build momentum. Paul Hodges saw his shot from 20 yards deflected for a corner on 28 minutes as the hosts continued to apply pressure with the Parkway defence still holding firm.
On 33 minutes Parkway created a decent opportunity with good build up play along the left setting up Thomson whose close range shot was superbly blocked, going behind for a corner. Basingstoke responded immediately with a long ball releasing Ferdinand who raced clear only to fire wide from around 18 yards. On 43 minute the dangerous Wilson forced a corner on the left with Shane Hollamby’s powerful header being cleared off the line by Lane. In the 3 minutes of added time Thomson did well to win a long ball and set up Hall who shot well wide.
Basingstoke started the brighter creating the clearer chances which they were unable to convert and lacked clinical finishing. Parkway created a few chances of their own but both goalkeepers were rarely called into action.
With both defences looking comfortable and holding firm, the score remained goalless at the break with Parkway probably a tad lucky to be on level terms mainly as a result of the hosts wasteful finishing.
Basingstoke made a change at the break with Stefan Brown replacing Artwell. Dylan Jones picked up an early yellow card for a minor misdemeanour with Wilson going clear on 48 minutes and his cross narrowly evading the incoming Ferdinand. Williams then made a penetrating run deep into the Basingstoke half releasing Thomson whose low shot from around 15 yards was well saved by Simon Grant.
On 50 minutes Joe Redmond replaced Hollamby for the hosts. Parkway had another let off on 54 minutes when a through ball to Ferdinand saw him go clear unchallenged only to poke his effort wide of the onrushing Parkes and also wide of the post. On 56 minutes Matt Wright replaced Thomson who had picked up an earlier injury, briefly re-entered play but was unable to continue.
Play gradually became more even with Parkway competing well in midfield and restricting the hosts time or space on the ball. On 59 minutes a Parkway free kick centrally round 30 yards out saw a series of headers fly around in the 6 yard box with Oscar Halls eventually looping his header just over the bar.
On 61 minutes Parkway almost took the lead. Another penetrating run forward by Williams saw him slide a well-judged pass into Jones who under pressure from the onrushing Grant poked his effort narrowly wide of the left hand post.
With play switching from end to end, on 63 minutes Ben Cook saw his 20 yard shot comfortably saved low down by Parkes. Parkway made a double change on 65 minutes with Jack Crago and Rio Garside replacing Jones and Hall. Wilson continued to look dangerous along the left and remained the focal point of the hosts attacking threat. Chances remained at a premium with play being concentrated in midfield and going through a scrappy phase with neither side able to retain possession for too long.
On 74 minutes a bemused Garside was cautioned with the yellow card subsequently rescinded post match and correctly given to Cairo in a clear case of mistaken identity!
On 75 minutes Ferdinand blazed well over when well placed as the hosts finishing continued to desert them. With the hosts increasing the pressure, on 76 minutes Parkes saved superbly after neat build up play along the Basingstoke left. Another Wilson cross was well defended on 79 minutes before Basingstoke were awarded a contentious penalty on 81 minutes.
To the surprise of many in the crowd Lane was adjudged to have pushed someone for which he received a yellow card with Wilson confidently despatching the spot kick giving Parkes no chance.
With Parkway now forced to throw more players forward in search of an equaliser, their final ball was too often rushed, lacked quality or direction with the hosts comfortably defending their narrow lead.
Shamar Moore replaced Ferdinand on 87 minutes as the hosts looked to slow the game down to it’s conclusion. In the 6 minutes of added time Parkway continued to push hard with Cook seeing yellow for a midfield foul halting a Parkway attack.
Despite pressing hard, Parkway were unable to penetrate the deep lying Basingstoke back line with the final chance falling to Crago who under considerable pressure could only hook a close range effort over the bar after Halls had done well to win a header from a free kick.
The final action saw Crago cautioned for a robust challenge close to the Basingstoke bye line with the hosts seeing the game out to secure the 3 points.
A narrow defeat for Parkway which could have been greater had the hosts been more clinical with their finishing.
Parkway competed well throughout creating a few chances of their own and whilst probably not doing enough to win the game, did enough to deserve a draw. A slight concern is despite only conceding 2 goals in their last 3 games, one of them a penalty, they have failed to score in any of them.
Other results today have seen Parkway drop a place and they now occupy the final relegation slot but still with numerous games in hand on all teams around them.
Next week, weather permitting, sees Parkway visit 12th placed Poole Town on Tuesday before returning to Bolitho Park for the first time in 4 and a half weeks to entertain 2nd placed Salisbury on Saturday.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Basingstoke Town
1 Grant, 2 Clark, 3 Giamattei, 4 Le Paih, 5 Hollamby (Redmond 50), 6 Upton ©, 7 Wilson, 8 Cook, 9 Ferdinand (Moore 87), 10 Hodges, 11 Artwell (Brown 46)
Substitutes:
12 Dunn (unused), 14 Brown, 15 Moore, 16 Redmond, 17 Collins (unused)
Plymouth Parkway
1 Parkes, 2 Cairo, 3 Lane, 4 Purrington, 5 Halls, 6 Down, 7 Williams, 8 Sangster, 9 Thomson (Wright 56), 10 Hall (Garside 64), 11 Jones (Crago 64)
Substitutes:
12 Garside, 14 Crago, 15 Rose (unused), 17 Wright
Attendance: 776 (estimate 30 away|)
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