Parkway progress in County Cup with convincing win over Exeter City
On a night that Parkway remembered the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, they would also go onto find some goals with a professional performance over a young Grecians side.
Parkway would hit seven, but it wasn’t just the goals that caught the eye writes Graham Lloyd…
 Plymouth ParkwayExeter City FC 
7 - 2Full Time |
Full Match Report
Parkway entertained Exeter City in the first round of the Devon St Luke’s Challenge Bowl and made 4 changes from last week’s FA Cup replay win over Didcot Town. Jake Mead-Crebbin, making his club debut, Michael Landricombe, Reece Shanley and Jared Lewington started in place of Kyle Moore, Jack Crago, Callum Hall and Aaron Goulty who were all named as substitutes.
Exeter fielded a young, inexperienced U18 side with some members of their coaching staff named as substitutes whilst Parkway lined up in a slightly different formation than usual. Prior to kick off, a minutes silence as a mark of respect to the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was impeccably observed.
The visitors got off to a perfect start taking the lead in the 2nd minute. A cross from the left caused a mix up in the Parkway defence with the loose ball being poked home by Joe Wragg from close range.
Parkway quickly regrouped and began to dominate proceedings with Billy Palfrey shooting just wide on 4 minutes and Ryan Lane seeing his 20 yard effort comfortably saved by Andrew Sowden on 7 minutes. T
he game developed into an open affair with Parkway dominating possession and using both flanks to good effect and they equalised on 14 minutes.
Ben Seymour, playing against his former club, closed down and pressurised the hesitant Sowden in possession in the 18 yard area, pinched the ball and calmly rounded the keeper to slot home into an unguarded net. Parkway continued to dominate in midfield, winning second phase possession and increasing the tempo.
On 17 minutes good build up play along the left released the speedy Seymour whose angled drive was parried by Sowden and cleared behind for a corner.
Parkway doubled their lead on 19 minutes with Seymour and Tyler Ashmead linking well on the right with Ashmead’s whipped in, pacey cross finding Seymour who showed good anticipation to glance home a header across Sowden.
On 22 minutes a flowing move along the left between Seymour, Mikey Williams and Lane ended with Seymour teeing up Lewington who shot narrowly wide from around 18 yards.
Exeter continued to compete well with Harrison King looking lively along the right and on 23 minutes his dangerous cross from the right into the Parkway 6 yard area took a couple of deflections before being cleared off the line.
Parkway continued to dictate the pace of the game and increased their lead further on 25 minutes. More neat interplay through midfield involving Williams, Lane and Palfrey released Garside who drove forward at pace before threading the ball through to the irrepressible Seymour who finished clinically to complete an 11 minute hat-trick.
With Parkway exploiting the space in the midfield area and constantly switching play and stretching the Exeter defence, they forged further ahead on 28 minutes. A well flighted free kick from the left saw Sowden’s punched save drop into the 6 yard area with Austen Booth reacting the quickest to turn smartly and stab home.
With Parkway now well on top and continuing to threaten with every attack, they increased their lead on 35 minutes. A surging run from the back by Williams along the left saw him link well with Lane and Palfrey with the latter showing good vision by setting up the unmarked Lewington who calmly slotted his first time effort into the bottom corner from around 8 yards.
Parkway continued to defend comfortably from the occasional Exeter counter attack with Mead-Crebbin relatively untroubled and displaying confident distribution off both feet when required. Approaching half time Hall replaced Lane seemingly as a precautionary measure with Lane having taken an earlier knock.
A dynamic first half performance by Parkway playing an expansive game at high intensity in which they created numerous chances coupled with ruthless, clinical finishing.
Exeter replaced Wragg with Alfie Clark at half time and they started the half the sharper forcing to Parkway to defend in numbers after good play from Pedro Borges almost caught them napping.
On 47 minutes Aamir Daniels broke clear along the left with his cross being cleared for a corner from which Mead-Crebbin made a good save at his near post from a close range effort.
On 49 minutes a strong run and cross by Ashmead was fumbled by Sowden with the loose ball being cleared behind for a corner which was comfortably dealt with by the visitors defence.
Exeter then pulled a goal back on 52 minutes. A neat passage of play along the right saw a low cross drilled in by King with George Spencer cleverly back heeling the ball home wrong footing the Parkway defence and keeper.
On 52 minutes Goulty replaced Landricombe as Parkway looked to switch playing positions but maintain their shape. On 59 minutes Seymour broke clear along the left and showing excellent ball control delivered a quality cross with Ashmead just unable to get the vital touch in the 6 yard area.
Parkway continued to dominate and on the hour more good play between Lewington and the increasingly influential Ashmead forced yet another corner. On 62 minutes Shanley and Ashmead linked well on the right to set up Seymour who cleverly back-heeled the ball to Garside who shot just over from around 20 yards.
Kelson Pollard replaced Pedro Borges on 63 minutes for the visitors with Crago replacing the impressive Seymour shortly after. On 67 minutes a strong run into the 6 yard area by Clark who had looked lively since coming on at half time was halted by some solid Parkway defending at the expense of a corner which was comfortably defended.
With Parkway continuing to dictate the pace and control the game, on 68 minutes Exeter replaced Daniels with the experienced former professional Chris McPhee who slotted into the back line.
On 75 minutes Sowden pulled off an excellent save from Booth’s header from a corner with Garside then shooting narrowly wide from around 20 yards after good build up play by Palfrey and Ashmead. Parkway continued to threaten and scored their 6th goal on 77 minutes.
Good work along the left by the hard working Lewington saw him unselfishly set up Crago who stabbed home at the second attempt from around 8 yards after Sowden had bravely blocked his first effort.
Sowden then saved well from Shanley with Goulty also testing Sowden with a powerful drive after good play between Shanley and Ashmead with Garside shooting just wide from the resultant corner.
Clark continued to look dangerous on the break for Exeter but generally lacked support with the Parkway defence holding firm.
Exeter made their final changes on 80 minutes with Brad Miller and Aaron Puch replacing Scott Simmons and King. Parkway continued on the offensive and on 85 minutes a strong run and cross by Garside saw the visitors unable to clear their lines with the ball looping into the air allowing Crago to nod home from very close range at the back post.
On 90 minutes, the final action saw Crago break clear and square the ball to Ashmead who pulled his effort just wide denying him a goal his overall performance probably deserved.
An accomplished performance by Parkway albeit against a young, inexperienced Exeter side who at times displayed their quality but were ultimately outplayed by their more experienced and physically stronger opponents.
Parkway should be able to take confidence from the performance which they now need to take into their league programme against much stronger opposition.
However before that recommences, their next game sees them travel to fellow Southern Premier side North Leigh on Saturday in the 2nd Round Qualifying of the FA Cup where a victory would see them reach the furthest the club has ever progressed in the competition.
Match Info
PARKWAY 7 (Seymour 14, 19, 25, Booth 28, Lewington 35, Crago 77, 85)
EXETER 2 (Wragg 2, Spencer 52)
Line-ups:
Parkway: 1 Mead-Crebbin, 2 Ashmead, 3 Lane (Hall 41), 4 Shanley, 5 Booth, 14 Landricombe © (Goulty 58), 7 Williams, 8 Palfrey, 9 Seymour (Crago 65), 10 Lewington, 11 Garside.
Substitutes: 12 Hall, 15 Goulty, 16 Crago, 17 Moore (GK) (unused)
Exeter: 1 Sowden, 2 King © (Puch 80), 3 Daniels (McPhee 68), 4 Billington, 5 Joce, 6 Simmons (Miller 80), 7 Wragg (Clark 46), 8 Borges (Pollard 63), 9 Spencer, 10 Dean, 11 O’Connor.
Substitutes: 12 Pollard, 23 Puch, 14 Clark, 15 McPhee, 27 Miller.
Attendance: 215
Stats
Corners
Parkway 8
Exeter City 6
Throw-ins
Parkway 15
Exeter City 12
Free-Kicks
Parkway 12
Exeter City 8
Goal-Kicks
Parkway 6
Exeter City 9
Shots
Parkway 17
Exeter City 6
Shots On Target
Parkway 12
Exeter City 4
Parkway Partners
