Hayes substituted Pennell with Cameron Green at half time. The visitors started the half strongly and on 51 minutes a neat exchange inside the 18 yard area saw the Parkway defence do well to block an effort from Jaden Thompson-Brissett. Parkway were forced into an early substitution with Garside replacing Stephens who appeared to have taken a knock. Play continued a high tempo with Thompson-Brissett being denied by a vital block by Parkes. Parkway began to control the pace of the game with their slick passing and movement and on 57 minutes a strong run forward by Williams saw him link well with Ryan Lane whose deep cross was turned behind for a corner. Thompson-Brissett continued to work hard and, on the hour, won a free kick just outside the area which was again comfortably dealt with by Parkway defence with Rose and Booth a commanding presence. Parkway almost doubled their lead on 62 minutes. Persistent pressing and chasing down by Seymour forced Paul Field to concede a free kick wide on the left and from the resultant quality delivery Seymour saw his glancing header crash against the bar and  be cleared way to safety. Hayes responded immediately with a counter attack which saw Odelusi firing wildly wide when well placed.

Parkway continued to play with intensity and increased their lead on 64 minutes. Harrison King, Garside and Lane combined well to create pressure on Daniel Wishart close to the bye line and force a corner from which Crago anticipated Lane’s delivery and headed home powerfully into the top corner from inside the 6 yard area. Parkway continued to press and on 67 minutes Williams and Lane combined well along the left setting up Seymour who fired an angled effort high and wide. Crago was almost immediately replaced by Lewington with the visitors Stan Flaherty, on loan from QPR, replacing Thompson-Brissett shortly after. Parkway increased their lead further on 75 minutes in unusual fashion. On 72 minutes a long ball forward saw the speedy Seymour chase a seemingly lost cause forcing Wilks to rush from his line only to grab the ball just outside the 18 area for a clear handball. After a short delay and consultation between the referee and his assistant, Wilks was shown a red card and a free kick awarded. With no substitute goalkeeper, captain Wassmer took over in goal. His first action was to pick the ball out of the back of the net after Lane drove the kick low and hard into the bottom corner leaving Wassmer motionless.

Hayes then replaced Emmanuel with Jerry Wiltshire with Parkway sending on Jamie Lowry for Lane. With the pace of the game slowing and Parkway dropping deeper, a Hayes break along the left on 80 minutes saw substitute Green’s angled drive rattle the crossbar. The visitor’s Green, Odelusi and Nasha along with Parkway’s Garside picked up yellow cards in a scrappy end to the game during which Hayes pulled a goal back on 86 minutes. Parkway needlessly conceded a free kick in midfield which they were unable to clear, allowing Odelusi to stab home from close range. Parkway looked to see the game out through the 6 minutes of added time with the final action seeing a Hayes break with Green firing his drive well wide.

A highly competitive and well contested game with two well organised and committed sides, both having their periods in the ascendancy but with Parkway running out deserved winners showing intensity and application in all areas. The 5th consecutive win, with 4 of them in the league, sees Parkway in 17th place still having between 1 and 4 games in hand over most teams immediately above and below them.

Focus now turns to Tuesday with SW Peninsula (East) side Teignmouth AFC the visitors in the already twice postponed 2nd round Devon St Luke’s Bowl tie. 3rd time lucky hopefully. Then on Saturday Parkway pay a 2nd visit of the season to National League South side Oxford City, this time in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy. Having run Oxford extremely close in both the original tie and the replay, they can be cautiously optimistic of reversing their fortunes.