Two goals in two games for the Wizard as Parkway rescue a point
Parkway’s relentless end of season schedule saw them play their 3rd game in 6 days by entertaining 21st placed North Leigh. Only a win by the visitors would give them any chance of avoiding relegation going into their final game at home to Truro City on Saturday. Parkway made 1 change from Tuesday’s narrow 1-0 win over Winchester City with captain Ryan Lane returning in place of Aaron Goulty.
 Plymouth ParkwayNorth Leigh FC 
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Full Match Report
Images by Tom Finnie
Parkway made the sharper start with Ryan Lane playing in Ben Seymour in the 3rd minute with the latter’s shot being blocked. Parkway continued to press and on 6 minutes their next attack saw Seymour reach the by-line only to just overrun the ball.
On 10 minutes Crago and Seymour linked well with Crago’s shot being well gathered by James Foster in the visitor’s goal. Parkway continued to dominate possession and control the game and on 13 minutes a long diagonal ball to King on the right saw the wing back’s cross reach Lane on the left who fired just over from around 18 yards.
North Leigh were struggling to find any forward momentum or gain any meaningful possession with Parkway moving the ball at pace and stretching the visitors back line. On 16 minutes swift build up play along the left between Crago and Callum Hall set up Lane whose shot from around 20 yards was blocked and cleared.
Parkway continued in the ascendancy and on 17 minutes another long diagonal ball from Toby Down found King clear on the right with again the cross being blocked. North Leigh continued to battle hard in midfield but were unable to retain too much possession with Parkway pressing high and winning the majority of second balls.
The visitors set up their first meaningful attack on 18 minutes with the tricky Jordan Thomas cutting into the 18 yard box from the right only to overhit his cross which was comfortably cleared. Parkway continued to apply pressure using the flanks to good effect and on 21 minutes Mikey Williams and Seymour combined well down the left with the cross reaching Crago who forced a corner from which Down headed narrowly wide.
On 26 minutes Lane won the ball in midfield and sent a long ball towards Seymour in behind the North Leigh defence with Foster racing from his goal area to hack the ball clear. As the Parkway pressure intensified King forced another corner on 27 minutes with the ball being cleared and then recycled by Parkway with Lane shooting well wide.
Parkway continued to push and probe but were guilty of getting caught offside too often when looking to latch on to balls into the channels as the visitors defence high line held firm. On the half our another long ball in behind the defence saw Foster again race outside his area to clear with the ball only reaching Garside some 50 yards out with his audacious effort from distance sailing narrowly wide with Foster stranded.
North Leigh gradually began to force their way back into the game with Adriel George becoming more influential in midfield and Craig Hewitt looking dangerous wide on the left and against the run of play they took the lead in the 39th minute.
Good build up play along the left saw the ball crossed in to the unmarked Conor McDonagh who turned sharply around 15 yards out and fired powerfully into the roof of the net giving Jack Arthur, who until then had been virtually unemployed, no chance.
On 42 minutes a long clearance from Arthur reached Crago whose cross under pressure was cleared with the visitors going into the break holding a slender lead.
A frustrating half for Parkway who despite being the better side and in control for the first 25 minutes were unable to make their pressure pay or convert their chances.
North Leigh continued to compete well throughout, getting stronger in the latter stages of the half and clinically converting the one chance they created. With Hendon losing at half time, the visitor’s hopes of survival remained intact.
Hall who again had put in an excellent shift despite clearly not being 100% fit was replaced by Gabe Billington for Parkway for the 2nd half. No doubt buoyed by gaining the lead, the visitors started the half the stronger and on 49 minutes the imposing McDonagh showed good strength and hold up play to win the ball in the danger area but fired just over.
North Leigh continued to look the more threatening with Parkway guilty of making wrong choices in possession and losing out to many second ball situations in midfield.
On 53 minutes Dan Rooney picked up the game’s 1st yellow card for an innocuous looking challenge in midfield. The visitors should have increased their lead on 55 minutes.
McDonagh continued to cause problems and made a strong weaving run forward with his deep cross finding the unmarked Hewitt on the left who screwed his shot wide when well placed.
The game continued with intensity and on 56 minutes a Parkway break saw Down release Crago who’s cross from the left was blocked for a corner with Foster clutching the ball at the 2nd attempt.
Play was then briefly held up after a full blooded clearance from close range poleaxed the assistant referee who lay motionless for a while but after a short period of treatment and recovery was fortunately able to continue seemingly with no ill effects. North Leigh continued to be the better side with Parkway continuing to concede possession with their passing lacking accuracy and direction.
A change of formation to 4 4 2 around the hour mark saw Williams pushed forward wide on the right as Parkway looked to force their way back into the game. Play continued to switch from end to end with a Garside cross from the left being cleared followed by Crago’s run along the right being halted by some resolute defending.
On 65 minutes the visitors forced a couple of corners and from the second one only a superb point blank save by Arthur from a powerful close range shot by McDonagh denied North Leigh a second goal.
Parkway then applied a period of pressure with on 68 minutes Billington shooting straight at Foster from around 18 yards through a crowd of bodies after good link up play between Garside, Williams and Lane.
Parkway’s next attack saw a long ball pick out Williams wide on the right who cut inside and curled a left foot strike narrowly wide from around 15 yards.
North Leigh continued to battle and defend well with their impressive captain Jack Alexander a tower of strength at the back continually putting his body on the line winning tackles and headers with his no nonsense defending. With 20 minutes remaining, the game then went through a scrappy and disjointed phase with the visitor’s Hewitt and Leon Morrison picking up yellow cards in quick succession.
With North Leigh now getting bodies behind the ball and looking to play on the counter, George went clear along the right with his dangerous cross being deflected behind by a crucial block by Down.
Parkway continued to press looking to create openings and on 80 minutes Lane and Rooney linked well on the left to force a corner from which Foster flapped the ball away at the back post for another corner from which Down again headed narrowly over. The visitors then broke away with Booth doing extremely well to recover and clear after having being cleverly turned by McDonagh around 25 yards out.
North Leigh continued to defend deep and were proving hard to break down as Parkway continued to look for the equaliser. On 82 minutes a neat interchange of passes between Garside, King and Rooney set up Booth whose overhit cross was easily gathered by Foster. The visitor’s Aaron Heap then saw yellow on 84 minutes with the resultant Parkway free kick to the back post seeing Down rise highest and loop his header just over. Alexander continued to be imposing at the back rallying his defence who remained difficult to break down.
Approaching full time Parkway continued to press with North Leigh just about holding on as the game entered the indicated 6 minutes of stoppage time.
Parkway forced another corner on 91 minutes after good work by King with Foster gathering comfortably. Looking to slow the game down and manage it out, Twariq Yusuf replaced Hewitt for the visitors on 92 minutes.
Parkway’s never say die attitude finally saw them draw level in the 94th minute. Lane did well to win the ball in midfield, power forward and cross into the crowded 6 yard area which created confusion with the ball not being fully cleared and richocheting around with Williams reacting quickest to pounce on to the loose ball and hook home from very close range. North Leigh mounted one final all out attack which came to nothing with the final whistle coming shortly after.
A compelling, hard fought game with everything at stake for North Leigh who withstood early Parkway pressure then lead at the break creating a couple of early 2nd half chances which they were unable to convert.
Parkway, as they often have done this season, displayed desire, character and resilience to not give up and managed to equalise at the death. The outcome sees them go up place to 10th with the valiant, highly committed North Leigh gaining a couple of places to 19th but being consigned to relegation.
In 48 hours’ time Parkway return to Bolitho Park for their final game of the season with Bracknell Town the visitors on Saturday. Bracknell return to Bolitho for the 2nd time in 6 days having been beaten 1-0 by Truro City last Monday.
They currently lie 2nd in the league and are now guaranteed a home a tie in the playoffs in their 1st season in the league. A tough challenge is expected for Parkway as they no doubt look to end their inaugural season in the league in a positive manner.
Match Info
Plymouth Parkway
1 Arthur, 2 King, 3 Lane ©, 4 Hall (Billington 46), 5 Down, 6 Booth, 7 M Williams, 8 Rooney, 9 Seymour, 10 Garside, 11 Crago.
Substitutes:
12 Billington, 14 Goulty (unused), 17 Bath (unused), 16 Jones (unused)
North Leigh
1 Foster, 14 Nicholls, 6 Alexander ©, 12 Morrison, 19 Dore, 15 Heap, 8 George, 20 Awadh (L Williams 46), 11 Thomas, 7 Hewitt (Yusuf 90+2), 9 McDonagh
Substitutes:
12 Hopkins (unused), 17 Nenonen-Miller (unused), 16 L Williams, 5 Pearl (unused), 10 Yusuf
Attendance: 323
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