Parkway fight till the end to earn a point on the road
Poole Town vs Parkway | Match ReportPlymouth Parkway returned to league action at the Black Gold Stadium following a disappointing three defeats in five days with a visit to a rejuvenated Poole Town following the appointment of new manager recently, Steve Tully. This was Parkways’ eleventh match in 29 days.
Parkways hosts sat comfortably on 48 points following successive wins against Winchester and Beaconsfield which arrested an alarming slide. This was the fourth encounter between the two sides with Parkway yet to concede a goal in the first three. Parkway edged the home fixture on Easter Monday 1-0 despite being outplayed for large periods by the Dolphins.
Whereas last season 36 points would have been enough for safety, this has been an extraordinary season with the struggling teams continually bouncing back and it appears that 46 or 47 may be required this time around. With Parkway on 42 with 6 matches remaining, two wins or a win and two draws are still required.
There were three changes to the Parkway line-up from the disappointing defeat at Didcot Town on Saturday with Rio Garside, Callum Rose and Jack Bray-Evans coming in for the unavailable Callum Hall with Jack Crago and Reece Thomson dropping to the bench. The Poole Town pitch was looking in good condition with no signs of the problem area in one corner which they have struggled with throughout the winter.
 Poole TownPlymouth Parkway 
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Images: Dave Crawford
On three minutes, Poole created the first opportunity of the night when right-back Declan Rice put over a dangerous low cross which Wesley Fogden just failed to get on the end of. A quiet few minute’s passed until on nine minutes Fogden was deemed to have brought down by Cameron Sangster near the penalty spot resulting in a penalty. Up stepped prolific scorer Tobias Holmes fresh from a hat-trick on Saturday but his firmly struck penalty down the middle was saved by the legs of Adam Parkes on 11 minutes.
Poole were forced into an early substitution on 12 minutes when the unfortunate Tyler Forbes pulled up sharply whilst breaking down the right with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and was replaced by Jake Scrimshaw.
On 18, good play by Declan Rose played in Fogden who struck a powerful shot which was blocked by Mikey Williams, knocking the wind out of him, and the follow up cross drifted just wide of the far post.
The opening 20 minutes seen Poole generally in control without creating too much with Parkway competing well but struggling to retain possession and creating little in the way of chances.
The first corner of the match fell to Poole on 24 minutes and a cross from Alefe Santos D’Abadia found the head of Joshua Staunton forcing Parkes to make a comfortable diving save to his right.
Rose played Holmes in on the half-hour mark, but his shot was well blocked by Toby Down. Scrimshaw then put Rose through with a dangerous cross from the right bouncing off Callum Rose and hitting the Parkway keeper who knew little about it before it bounced to safety.
Poole were looking threatening down the right with Rose involved with everything but gradually Parkway were gaining a foothold in the match. Rio Garside and Williams were enjoying a fine first half warding off the threats down the right and beginning to create at the other end.
On 37 eighteen-year-old Dylan Jones was through on goal but the Poole keeper produced a good save before Jones was flagged for offside anyway. Jones then picked up the first yellow card of the night on 39 for nothing more than a minor infringement and protests from coach Karl Curtis on the sidelines saw him see yellow also.
On 42 Jones cut in from the right and squared the ball to Garside who was well positioned but chose to side-foot the ball which lacked accuracy and was comfortable blocked. A good opportunity lost.
In the third minute of four added minutes, Callum Rose produced a low 12 yard shot saved low down by keeper Max Evans.
A stalemate first half with Poole in control for 30 minutes but Parkway gradually growing into the game and competing well whilst thankful for surviving the penalty.
A quiet start to the second half but on 51 Jack Bray-Evans threatened for Parkway and forced a fine diving save from Evans who got a strong right-hand to the shot.
On 52 Parkway manager Lee Hobbs was yellow carded for being outside his box but continued to discuss the issue with the assistant referee and the ref deemed it necessary for a second yellow and therefore a red and had to leave the ground.
Shortly after on 55 minutes Poole took a 1-0 lead. A break down the left saw a cross into the box clinically finished by Alefe Santos D’Abadia. Immediately Parkway brought top-scorer Jack Crago on for Alex Cairo.
Parkway were now getting on top with Poole forced to defend and on 61 a Purrington corner fell to Callum Rose near the penalty spot and as he shaped to shoot, he was bundled over leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty to Parkway. Unlike Saturday, regular taker Shane White and dispatched it straight down the middle for 1-1.
Reece Thomson replaced Bray-Evans on 65 for the visitors. Two minutes later an attack down the left flank by Crago saw his cross-find Jones who couldn’t quite make a clean contact when well placed.
On 68 Jones broke through the middle and was bearing down on goal under pressure from a chasing defender but blazed his shot well over from 20 yards.
On 70 minutes, a rare Poole attack saw a well-timed slide tackle by Rose thwart the danger with the follow up shot blocked.
Good work by Williams and Thomson down the left forced a corner on 72 which saw the cross by Purrington headed well wide by Thomson. Cameron Murray then replaced Fogden for Poole.
On 76 minutes, a trademark dribble by Mikey Williams put Jones in who hit the post but was flagged for offside. Two minutes later a moment of magic from Poole saw Billy Lowes fire a scorcher in from 30 yards leaving Parkes no chance to give the hosts a 2-1 lead totally against the run of play.
On 81, Scrimshaw lobbed Parkes, but the ball landed well wide of the Parkway goal.
Crago was looking threatening all over the pitch and on 86 minutes he was in on goal under pressure from a chasing defender matching his speed, but he got a good shot away which was well saved by Evans. Sangster was booked for Parkway for protesting a soft free-kick award. Poole’s Cameron Murray soon followed him in the book for a foul.
On 90 minutes a rasping shot from Crago was turned around the post by the home keeper.
Six minutes extra was signalled and in the second of these, Crago chased what looked a lost cause on the right touchline but just managed to keep the ball in, then skilfully beat the left-back and provided a pin-point cross for Reece Thomson who prodded home at the near post for a well-deserved equaliser after a fine second-half performance.
Matt Wright replaced Jones on 90+4 and the final whistle blew at 2-2 after 9 added minutes.
With Tiverton losing at home, this vital point has seen Parkway climb out of the bottom four on goal difference still with a couple of games in hand.
Thursday will see Parkway back on the coach again to London for a vital trip to fellow strugglers Hanwell Town before hopefully returning to Bolitho on Saturday for the visit of Walton & Hersham.
Match Info
Line-Ups:
Poole Town:
1 Evans, 2 Rose, 3 Hutchinson, 4 Staunton, 6 Wright, 7 Slade, 10 Holmes, 16 D’Abadia, 17 Forbes (Scrimshaw 17), 18 Lowes, 19 Fogden (Murray 73)
Substitutes:
8 Samadi (unused), 9 Scrimshaw, 13 Plunkett (unused), 14 Tshaka (unused), 15 Murray
1 Noice (unused), 2
Plymouth Parkway:
1 Parkes, 2 White, 4 Purrington, 5 Rose, 6 Down, 7 Williams, 8 Sangster, 9 Bray-Evans (Thomson 65), 10 Garside, 11 Cairo (Crago 56), 12 Jones (Wright 90+4)
Substitutes:
14 Crago, 15 Thomson, 17 Wright
Attendance: 321 (15 Parkway)
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