Parkway in the hat with victory over Bristol Manor Farm
Plymouth Parkways love affair with the FA Trophy continues following a 3-1 victory over Bristol Manor Farm at Bolitho Park writes Graham Lloyd
 Plymouth ParkwayBristol Manor Farm 
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Full Match Report
Parkway entertained Southern League Division 1 side Bristol Manor Farm in the FA Trophy 1st Round looking to extend their unbeaten run to 4 games. 4 changes were made to the starting line up from Wednesday’s win over Tiverton Town with Harrison King,
Rio Garside, Jared Lewington and debutant Toby Down coming in for Aaron Goulty, Billy Palfrey, Jack Crago and Callum Rose all of whom were on the bench.
Prior to kick off, sporting their new kit and equipment kindly funded by the Parkway Football club, the Parkway Supporters Club and other generous sponsors, Club Plymouth Parkway Disability Team played a friendly against their Tavistock counterparts. Parkway won 4-0.
Parkway almost went behind after 17 seconds after a sloppy back pass to Adam Parkes saw Kye Simpson charge down the keepers hurried clearance and fortunately bounce away to safety. Parkway continued to have a nervy start with the visitors clearly up for the game but from their first meaningful attack on 7 minutes they look the lead. A raking cross field ball by Garside found Ryan Lane wide on the left with his first time low cross being steered home from close range by Ben Seymour.
Play continued to switch from end to end and on 11 minutes Ben John did well to smother a Lewington effort at his near post after good build up play between Mikey Williams and Seymour. Lewington then went clear after a long ball from Down only to mishit his shot when well placed. Manor Farm continued to compete well and on 14 minutes Parkway conceded possession in midfield allowing Marcus Day to go clear with Down blocking the cross and conceding a corner. On 15 minutes the visitors broke along the right with Jake Gosling’s cross being cleared only as far as Steve Kingdon who curled a shot just wide.
Play continued at a high tempo developing into a midfield battle but lacking too much quality with neither side able to gain control or create any clear chances.
On 18 minutes Parkway again conceded possession in midfield allowing Day to go clear only to hit his fierce shot straight at Parkes who stayed big to make a crucial save. Manor Farm continued to compete well and had a 10 minute spell dominating possession with Jake Gosling and May prominent in midfield but they were unable to penetrate the Parkway defence who collectively remained solid with Parkes rarely called into action.
On 28 minutes King made a strong run down the right setting up Garside whose shot was blocked with the loose ball falling to Lewington whose angled drive was punched clear by John. Play then went through a scrappy phase with neither side able to create much going forward with the visitors remaining competitive and matching their higher league opponents all over the pitch.
Lane was cautioned for a foul on 35 minutes as Parkway struggled to impose themselves on the game which remained a fairly even affair. On 37 minutes a long ball from Williams sent Seymour clear with his cross finding Garside who delayed his shot allowing John time to save low down.
A rare glimpse of quality on 40 minutes saw Parkway double their lead. A good passage of play forced a corner on the right with Lane’s delivery being emphatically headed home at the near post by Austen Booth despite the efforts of May to prevent the ball crossing the line. After a short delay and consultation between the referee and his assistant, the goal was awarded and May booked for his part in the incident.
Manor Farm almost pulled a goal back in the 2 minutes of stoppage time. Parkes did well to come off his line and smother a long ball which broke to Lloyd Mills whose shot from round 12 yards was deflected for a corner from which Josh Ford headed narrowly over.
A scrappy half of few chances with Parkway by no means allowed to be at their best by a determined and committed Manor Farm. Goals at crucial times from Parkway saw them go into the break ahead without having played that well and with some players possibly still a bit leggy after Wednesday’s exertions.
Manor Farm started the second half the brighter and pulled a goal back on 49 minutes. They had a strong shout for a penalty waved away after a coming together between Parkes and Simpson with the ball going for a corner from which Ford powered home a header at the far post.
Ford was immediately replaced by Michael Bryant having seemingly picked up a hamstring injury after sprinting some distance to question the referee’s penalty decision.
Parkway gradually began to win more second balls in midfield and were now looking sharper than in the first half. On 55 minutes Booth unleashed a shot from around 25 yards which fizzed just wide after the visitors failed to clear their lines from a free kick. Manor Farm continued to press forward looking for an equaliser forcing Parkway to defend deeper and play on the counter.
Palfrey replaced Stephens on the hour and almost scored with his first touch. Lewington’s header from a free kick was pushed on to the post by John and away to safety and from the throw in which found it’s way to Palfrey, he smashed a trademark shot from around 25 yards against the bar with the loose ball being scrambled away.
Manor Farm continued their patient build up stretching the Parkway defence and on 65 minutes a flowing move from right to left created a chance which was blocked for a corner. Hall then went clear on the counter with his cross flying just over the bar.
The visitors continued to press with Parkway forced on to the defensive and on 71 minutes a Gosling free kick on the edge of the D rebounded off the wall and away from the danger area. Crago replaced Lewington on 73 minutes and was quickly into the action breaking clear on 75 minutes only to be denied a scoring opportunity by some resolute Manor Farm defending some 10 yards out.
Parkway were forced into a substitution on 79 minutes with Rose replacing Booth who had picked up an injury.
Entering the last 10 minutes Parkway continued to look edgy but showing good energy and concentration managed to defend solidly denying the visitors any clear chances.
William Gallagher replaced Simpson on 85 minutes as Manor Farm continued to push more men forward leaving spaces at the back making them more vulnerable to Parkway’s swift counter attacks. With 6 minutes of stoppage being signalled Manor Farm almost equalised after a long throw in bounced around in the 18 yard area with Aron Robbins flicking an effort narrowly wide.
However it was Parkway who finally sealed the game in the 7th minute of stoppage time. After creating a series of counter attacks in the closing minutes during which Seymour, Crago and Hall all spurned good scoring opportunities when well placed, Garside fired home unchallenged from around 10 yards after being set up by Hall whose interchange of passes with Seymour had split the visitors defence.
A fairly even game with Parkway not at the best in the first half despite going 2-0 up with a well organised, highly committed Manor Farm proving dogged and dangerous opponents. An improved second half display in which they played with more intensity, Parkway dug in and competed well with Manor Farm remaining well in contention throughout without creating too many clear chances.
Had Parkway showed more composure and quality with their final ball in the latter stages, the winning margin could well have been greater.
Parkway now await Monday’s draw for the 2nd round due to be played on Saturday 19 November meaning the scheduled league visit to Merthyr Town will now be rearranged. Parkway return to Bolitho Park on Tuesday for their 4th consecutive home game when they will face South West Peninsula East (step 6) side Teignmouth AFC in the 2nd round of the Devon St Lukes Bowl.
Match Info
PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 3 (Seymour 7, Booth 40, Garside 90+7)
BRISTOL MANOR FARM 1(Ford 49)
Lineups:
Parkway:
1 Parkes, 2 King, 3 Lane ©, 4 Stephens (Palfrey 60), 5 Down, 6 Booth (Rose 79), 7 Williams, 8 Garside, 9 Seymour, 10 Lewington (Crago 73), 11 Hall.
Substitutes: 12 Goulty (unused), 13 Crago, 14 Rose, 16 Palfrey.
Bristol Manor Farm:
1 John, 2 Winter, 3 Robbins, 4 Ford (Bryant 50), 5 Kingdon, 6 Mills, 7 Gosling ©, 8 Day, 9 Simpson (Gallagher 85), 10 Grubb, 11 Nielsen
Substitutes:
12 Bryant, 14 Lashenko (unused), 15 Gallagher, 16 Tovey (unused)
Attendance: 500
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