Parkway make it three in a row with victory over Chesham United
Parkway vs Chesham United | Match ReportPlaying their first game since 25th November Parkway entertained league leaders Chesham United. 2 changes were made to that game against Bracknell Town with Rio Garside and Jack Bray-Evans, making his full debut, replacing Callum Hall and Jack Crago who were serving 1 match suspensions.
Alex Cairo returning from his loan spell at Mousehole was named as one of the 4 substitutes. Through no fault of their own, the visitors travel by train had been severely disrupted meaning they did not arrive at the ground until just after 4 pm. With both sides given 15 minutes for their warm ups, the game eventually kicked off at 4.30. Prior to kick off a minutes silence was impeccably observed as a mark of respect to a Plymouth Parkway youth team coach Mike Honeywill who sadly passed away recently.
 Plymouth ParkwayChesham United 
4 - 0Full Time |
Full Match Report
Images: Tom Finnie
Despite the disrupted preparations for both sides and on a tricky but playable surface, the game got off to a lively start with Chesham showing well in the early stages. On 8 minutes a long ball from the back by Chesham saw Oscar Halls do well to track his runner and block a shot which flew behind for the first corner of the game. Parkway began to impose themselves in midfield and on 10 minutes good build up play along the right forced a corner with a close range effort being cleared off the line with Rio Garside’s shot from the recycled ball being pushed behind by Zaki Oualah in the visitor’s goal.
From the resultant corner Parkway took the lead with Reece Thomson rising highest and timing his jump to perfection to head home from inside the 6 yard area. Almost straight from the kick off Parkway doubled their lead on 12 minutes. Ryan Lane did well to dispossess a Chesham player on the left, then drive forward and link well with Thomson whose low cross into the danger area was steered home from close range by Tom Purrington.
With their 2 goal cushion Parkway continued to dominate possession through midfield playing at a high tempo with Cameron Sangster, Garside and Purrington pressing well, showing quality on the ball, winning their fair share of second balls and setting up attacking positions. Chesham were being forced to play on the counter with Halls and Toby Down looking solid in the centre of Parkway defence with Adam Parkes in the home goal rarely called into action.
Parkway continued to threaten from the wide areas with Shane White and Lane pushing forward and supporting the midfield trio whose passing and movement was a constant threat. The visitors began to show frustration and on 23 minutes Steve Brown became the first player to be cautioned after a nasty challenge on Thomson. Parkway continued to apply pressure and were rewarded with their 3rd goal in the 29th minute. Another sweeping, penetrating move along the left saw the ball crossed deep to the far post where Mikey Williams in an unusually advanced position showed tenacity and good control in a tight situation to turn and shoot home from a narrow angle.
Chesham began to come more into the game as the half progressed winning a couple of free kicks in wide areas which were well defended with Parkes looking confident in gathering high balls into the 6 yard area.
On 38 minutes Harry Rush became the 2nd Chesham to be cautioned after a challenge on the elusive Williams as the game developed into a more even affair. Chesham began to look more dangerous along their left but were unable to carve out any clear cut chances as the Parkway back line held firm.
On 42 minutes a Parkway break along the left released Williams whose well flighted cross was gathered comfortably by Oualah. Chesham ended the half the stronger but were still unable to create too much and in the 4 minutes of added time Ryan Upward became their 3rd player to see yellow.
A dominant half from Parkway built on a solid defence, control of midfield and clinical finishing with the 3-0 scoreline reflecting their superiority.
Chesham started the 2nd half strongly and on 47 minutes Zak Joseph pulled a shot narrowly wide after a strong run forward.
Joseph was in the action again on 51 minutes coming close to pulling goal back only to be denied by a fine save from Parkes who spread himself well to save with his feet. Parkway responded with Thomson going clear along the right on 55 minutes with his cross being deflected behind and Halls heading narrowly wide from the resultant corner.
Chesham made their 1st change on 58 minutes with Ogochukwu Obi replacing Rush. Play was now more evenly contested with Chesham beginning to look more threatening and on 58 minutes the league’s top scorer Ricardo German broke clear along the right with his powerful angled drive being blocked for a corner.
Play continued at a pace with Chesham applying pressure and on the hour a break along their right saw Parkes do well to save a shot low down at his near post.
Parkway continued to look strong in midfield with Sangster, Garside and Purrington constantly pressing and breaking up play providing a solid platform and instigating attacks.
On 66 minutes Lane broke clear at pace along the left with Bray-Evans linking well with Thomson whose shot was deflected for a corner with Down’s header being cleared from close to the goal line.
Parkway continued to apply pressure and on 67 minutes their next attack saw Thomson link well with Lane whose shot was blocked with the ball falling to Garside who arrowed a powerful strike narrowly wide.
Chesham then made a double substitution with Joseph and Brown being replaced by Avan Jones and Bradley Clayton. Chesham continued to push forward and have their fair share of possession but remained unable to create too much with Parkway continuing to defend resolutely.
Williams became the 1st Parkway player to be booked on 69 minutes shortly before Parkway made a double change on 71 minutes. Matt Wright and Dylan Jones came on in a like for like swap up front for Thomson and Bray-Evans both of whom had put in excellent shifts with their strong running and movement constantly pressurising the Chesham defence and forcing errors.
Chesham continued to compete well as the game continued to flow with Halls cautioned in the 73rd minute after illegally halting a Chesham break along the left.
Chesham were still unable to get in behind the Parkway defence too often and were being restricted to shots from distance with German firing well wide on 77 minutes and it was Parkway who increased their lead in the 80th minute.
Garside’s scuffed shot from around 18 yards was deflected to White who showing good composure, cleverly put in Wright who displayed good skill in a tight situation to turn and fire in left footed from around 10 yards to beat Oualah at his near post.
From the restart Chesham broke forward with another shot from distance flying wildly over. Parkway thought they had gone further ahead on 84 minutes after another flowing move along the right saw a cross converted at close range by Lane who was adjudged to have strayed narrowly offside.
Parkway made their final change on 85 minutes with Cairo replacing Garside who had put in a whole hearted, energetic display.
In the 4 minutes of added time Chesham were denied a consolation goal after a corner had been cleared, recycled and having a shot cleared off the line. The final action saw Purrington drag an angled drive narrowly wide after good link up play on the right between White and Wright with the referee finally concluding the game at around 6.20 with Parkway running out convincing and worthy winners.
With both sides having to deal with the delayed start time and tricky underfoot conditions, Parkway adapted much better and more quickly, generally dominated the first half and were good value for their half time lead. The 2nd half was a more even contest with Parkway having the luxury of a 3 goal cushion and therefore able to control the tempo of the game and also displaying resilience in restricting the league leaders to few scoring opportunities.
The win sees Parkway extend their unbeaten run in the league to 3 games with pleasingly 2 successive clean sheets. Other results on the day saw Parkway climb 2 places to 17th and out of the relegation zone still with up to 4 games in hand over teams immediately above and below them.
Weather permitting Parkway now host Southern League Division 1 South side Willand Rovers in the quarter final of the Devon St Lukes Bowl on Tuesday before returning to league action by heading to 8th placed Hendon on their 3g pitch next Saturday. A busy December will continue with another Devon derby at Bolitho Park on Boxing Day against Tiverton Town before heading to Poole Town on Saturday 30th.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Plymouth Parkway
1 Parkes, 2 White, 3 Lane ©, 4 Sangster, 5 Halls, 6 Down, 7 Williams, 8 Purrington, 9 Thomson (Wright 71), 10 Garside (Cairo 85) 11 Bray-Evans (D Jones 71)
Substitutes;
12 Cairo, 14 D Jones, 15 Rose (unused), 17 Wright
Chesham United:
14 Oualah, 3 Rolfe, 4 Murphy, 5 Brown © (Clayton 58), 17 Adebiyi, 6 Gallimore, 10 Upward, 8 Rush (Obi 56), 20 German, 9 Edwards, 7 Joseph (A Jones (68)
Substitutes:
9 A Jones. 11 Clayton, 12 Obi, 14 Connors (unused), 19 Duru (unused)
Attendance: 284 (estimate 15 away)
Parkway Partners
