Parkway made a lively start applying early pressure with Ryan Lane’s 4th minute free kick comfortably saved by Kane Gregory. Parkway playing with intensity and at a high tempo continued to dominate with Toby Down’s header from corner in the 8th being deflected for another corner with Gregory punching clear only as far as Dylan Jones who hooked his effort narrowly over.

On 10 minutes Lane and Jack Crago linked well along the left with Crago’s shot from around 20 yards parried away and the ball forced home from close range but disallowed for offside. Ivybridge almost took the lead on 11 minutes with their first attack with a shot coming in from the right hitting the post and Chris Wright shooting just wide from the recycled ball. Parkway continued to press high dominating possession and in their next attack good build up play along the left between Lane, Matt Wright and Mikey Williams saw the latter’s cross headed just wide by Wright.

Parkway continued to dominate in midfield with debutant Cameron Sangster beginning to impress with his energy, forceful running and range and weight of passing. Jones and Crago continued to put the home defence under pressure with their pace and running off the ball and on 15 minutes Jones went clear along the right, cut inside forcing a good save from Gregory. Connor Rush was then cautioned for an off the ball incident as Parkway continued to threaten with Lane’s shot from 25 yards deflected for a corner.

On 22 minutes Tom Purrington then saw his goalbound header deflected behind after good work and a dangerous cross by Wright with Callum Rose heading home the corner only to see his effort disallowed for a foul in the 18 yard area. Ivybridge continued to come under pressure and defended resolutely but were unable to build much momentum going forward as Parkway continued to dominate the midfield exchanges with their intensity and tenacity. On 24 minutes a long ball along the right released Jones who rounded the onrushing Gregory on the edge of the 18 yard area with his angled drive being headed over by a defender close to the goal line with Wright heading over from the corner.

On 24 minutes an Ivybridge counter attack along the left saw Jack Alexander go clear with his cross being overhit allowing Parkway to clear to Jones who, again showing good pace to beat his marker, raced clear with Gregory again doing well to parry away the shot. Parkway’s pressure eventually paid off and they took the lead on 25 minutes.

A neat interchange along the right between Wright and Crago saw Wright’s shot blocked and cause a scramble in the 6 yard area with the alert Jones reacting the quickest to poke the ball home from close range. Ivybridge continued to compete well without creating too much and on 30 minutes a break along the left saw a cross hit wastefully wide when well placed.

With Parkway looking threatening with every attack, they doubled their lead on 34 minutes. Crago and Jones both saw close range shots blocked by some desperate defending with the ball eventually falling to Williams who, showing good composure, calmly and coolly sidefooted into the bottom corner from around 15 yards. Ivybridge looked to respond positively and won their first corner on 35 minutes which was comfortably defended.

Ivybridge continued to struggle to deal with the pace of Jones and Crago and on 37 minutes a well flighted pass from Williams to Jones saw him cut inside with his shot being deflected behind for another corner.

Approaching half time Ivybridge created a period of pressure forcing a corner on 41 minutes with Purrington doing well to head clear with Adam Parkes at full stretch pushing away a long range shot for his first meaningful save of the half. Parkway ended the half the stronger and should have increased their lead further.

On 44 minutes Crago and Jones linked well with Crago outmuscling a defender and racing clear to round Gregory only for his final touch to let him down allowing a defender to intercept and concede a corner. From the corner Williams saw his powerful drive from around 15 yards pushed away by Gregory with Down blazing over the loose ball. The final action of the half saw Wright head narrowly wide from a corner with Parkway going into the break well in control of the game.

A half generally dominated and controlled by Parkway looking particularly effective in midfield and dangerous in the final third with their pace and strong running. Ivybridge competed well throughout and did well to keep the score to just 2-0 with some solid defending coupled with some fine goalkeeping but offering only the occasional threat on the counter attack.