Parkway force replay as Crago earns 2-2 draw at Bolitho
Parkway v Frome Town | Match ReportParkway welcomed Southern League Division 1 Frome Town, one level below Parkway, in the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Cup. 5 changes were made from Tuesday’s Devon Bowl win at Brixham AFC.
Returning to the starting line-up were Mikey Williams, Callum Hall, Tom Purrington, Matt Wright along with new signing Shane White signed this week from Truro City. They replaced, Dylan Jones, Chip Lolot, Alex Cairo the injured Joe Belsten and the suspended Ryan Lane.
 Plymouth ParkwayFrome Town 
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Parkway made a quick start with Henry Wilson shooting wide on 4 minutes after some neat play through midfield. Frome then created a period of pressure forcing corners on 9 and 10 minutes with Reece Rusher and Zac Drew both seeing shots blocked. Play then settled into a stalemate with both sides cancelling each other out and unable break down 2 solid looking defensive units.
The closest any side came to scoring was in the 17 minutes when a speculative overhead kick from Drew flew harmlessly wide. Parkway continued their patient build play from the back without being able to penetrate the final third with Frome content to absorb pressure, drop deep and play on the counter.
A Frome break along the right on 21 minutes saw Rusher’s cross fly across the 18 yard area and out for a throw in with no one able to get a final touch. Play continued to be compressed in midfield with both sides wasteful in possession and lacking quality in their final ball.
Parkway created their first chance on 27 minutes with Jack Crago breaking away and forcing a fine save by Kyle Phillips in the visitor’s goal with the ball hastily cleared away. Adam Parkes was then called into action in the 33rd minute saving comfortably from Rusher’s angled drive.
Both sides continued to look to create openings but lacked the guile or quality to break down the solid looking defences. On 35 minutes sloppy play from Parkway conceded possession midway in their own half allowing Jon Davies to go clear only to mishit his shot from around 18 yards which was easily cleared.
Parkway gradually began to apply a bit of pressure, particularly along the left flank with Crago, Williams and Hall combining well to win a free kick which unfortunately lacked direction or accuracy.
Parkway gained their first corner on 39 minutes after good work between Crago and Hall saw a low cross deflected behind at the near post. Parkway finished the half the stronger forcing another free kick on 44 minutes with once again a poor delivery allowing Phillips to gather easily.
Parkway almost took the lead on the stroke of half time with Crago going clear along the left and releasing Rio Garside whose shot from a tight angle smashed against the post and behind for a goal kick.
Not much between the sides with both having their fair share of possession but cancelling each other out with both defences looking comfortable and clear cut chances few and far between.
Frome made a sharp start to the second half and on 47 minutes Davies went clear with Parkes doing well to spread himself to smother the shot with the resultant corner creating a scramble in the 6 yard box with James Ollis nodding narrowly over.
Parkway immediately responded with Hall shooting over from around 25 yards after a free kick from Williams. Play continued to be fiercely but fairly contested, switching from end to end with Joe Budd firing well over for the visitors on 49 minutes. On 55 minutes Frome took the lead after Parkway conceded possession in midfield allowing the ever dangerous Davies to go clear and set up Owen Humphries who cut inside and fired a rising drive from around 20 yards into the top corner giving Parkes no chance.
Parkway looked to respond with Hall doing well to force a corner on the left and on 59 minutes Hall then broke clear along the right with his run only halted by a crude challenge by Ollis who received the game’s first yellow card. From the free kick Oscar Halls headed just wide.
Parkway continued to apply pressure and probe openings and drew level on 63 minutes. Another bad challenge on Hall this time by Rusher who was booked saw Garside’s free kick from around 30 yards not gathered cleanly by Phillips with debutant White reacting quickest and hooking the ball home from close range. White, Garside and Crago then linked well along then right picking out Williams whose cross was cleared to safety as Parkway had a period in control.
Having just been cautioned Rusher was replaced by Will Taylor on 67 minutes as play continued at an intense pace and began to open up with Frome regaining the lead on 71 minutes.
The same combination of Davies and Humphries linked well against an exposed Parkway backline with Humphries shot from around 20 yards being fumbled by Parkes and with Parkway unable to clear the bouncing ball,
Ollis nodded home from close range. The impressive Humphries was replaced shortly after by Caleb Summerfield. Parkway continued to have plenty of possession and build up patiently with the well organised visitors defending deep and in numbers proving difficult to break down.
Parkway made their first change on 78 minutes with Cairo replacing Purrington and the visitors replacing Ollis with Sam Meakes. Parkway continued to push forward in search of an equaliser leaving spaces at the back and on 81 minutes the ever threatening Davies pulled his shot just wide when well placed.
Frome should have wrapped the game up on 85 minutes after Davies created confusion in the Parkway backline and with supporting players creating space in the 18 yard area but passing to each other instead of shooting, none were able to get a shot away with Parkway eventually clearing their lines.
After withstanding the period of Frome pressure Parkway continued to show desire and resolve and drew level for a second time on 87 minutes.
More good build up play in midfield against a retreating defence saw Garside’s shot from around 20 yards take a slight deflection wrong footing Phillips who fumbled low down at his near post with the ever alert Crago ramming home the loose ball from close range.
Frome almost immediately regained the lead from the kick off with Summerfield’s cross being volleyed against the cross bar by Taylor and hacked away to safety. With neither side seemingly settling for the draw, Parkway pushed forward along the left with Williams clever cross being headed just over by Halls.
Parkway made a late change in the first of 4 minutes of added time with Jones replacing Wright. Both sides fought hard until the end continuing to cancel each other out and with no further alarms the sides will meet again at Frome on Tuesday evening in what could be an equally tight game.
An evenly contested game against a well organised and drilled Frome with their squad pretty much unchanged from when Parkway last played them in the 2021/22 season.
Despite playing at a level below Parkway, Frome were as good a side as many Parkway have played in their league this season and it was easy to see why they have only conceded 3 goals in their 4 league games so far.
Credit to Parkway who showed desire, resilience and hard graft to come from behind twice with a draw just about the right outcome. Both sides can now look forward to Monday’s draw knowing who the winners of the replay will face in the next round
Match Info
Line-ups:
Parkway:
1 Parkes, 2 White, 4 Wilson, 5 Halls, 6 Down, 7 Williams, 8 Purrington (Cairo 78), 9 Crago, 10 Garside ©, 11 Hall, 17 Wright (Jones 90)
Substitutes:
12 Goulty (unused), 14 Cairo, 15 Jones, 16 I-P Lolot (unused)
Frome:
1 Phillips, 2 Humphries (Summerfield 75), 14 Maidment, 5 Mitchell, 6 Wood, 7 Davies ©, 8 Rigg, 10 Drew, 11 Rusher (Taylor 67), 12 Budd, 18 Ollis (Meakes 80)
Substitutes:
3 Summerfield, 14 Greaves (unused) 15 Taylor, 16 Meakes, 17 Durran (unused), 18 Griffith (unused).
Attendance:
386 (estimate 40 away)
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