10 man Parkway fall short against the Boro
Plymouth Parkway v Gosport Borough | Match ReportBy Graham Lloyd
PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 0
GOSPORT BOROUGH 2 (Wooden 60, Rew 86)
Looking to bounce back from last week’s heavy defeat at Hungerford Town Parkway made 2 enforced changes with recent loan signing from Exeter City, the returning Harrison King, replacing the injured Joe Belsten and Toby Down starting in place of the suspended captain Ryan Lane. Callum Rose assumed the role of captain.
Full Match Report
Gosport started the sharper firing in a couple of early crosses which were comfortably defended but it was Parkway who created the first clear chance. Good link up play along the right between King and Rio Garside saw the latter cross to the far post where Mikey Williams well directed downward header was blocked at close range and cannoned behind for a corner from which Jack Crago headed just wide.
The visitors looking well organised and solid broke forward along the right on a couple of occasions with Harry Kavanagh delivering a couple of dangerous crosses which were comfortably cleared by the Parkway defence. Parkway gradually began to get their fair share of possession moving the ball around well but generally lacking the penetration or quality of final ball to trouble the Gosport defence.
On 18 minutes good work along the left between Crago and Williams saw Crago’s cross cleared as Parkway continued on the front foot with Gosport being restricted to counter attacks. From one such attack on 23 minutes Cory Harvey did well to quickly react and leave his line and just beat the oncoming Gerson Da Costa Ramos to a long through ball on the edge of the 18 yard area.
Parkway continued to have the plenty of possession but still lacked the quality to open up a solid and well organised Gosport back line. Play tended to be concentrated in the crowded midfield area with neither side able to create many openings.
On 27 minutes Toby Down became the first player to see yellow after a strong challenge on Danny Hollands in the centre circle with the referee playing an advantage from which Gosport were unable to capitalise Around the half hour mark Crago went down in an off the ball incident seemingly unseen by any of the officials with play allowed to continue and no action taken.
Play continued with intensity and at a fast pace with the visitors Hollands and Dan Wooden being booked for fouls on 32 and 37 minutes. Chances continued to be few and far between for both sides with neither goalkeeper being unduly tested and the closest to a goal came on 39 minutes when good build up play along the Parkway left set up Callum Rose whose stinging shot from distance clipped the top of the bar with some claiming Toby Steward had finger tipped it over. A goal kick was awarded.
On 41 minutes Garside and Williams linked well to release Crago with Steward doing well to smother the loose ball.
Gosport finished the half strongly with Harvey Rew testing Harvey from around 30 yards on 43 minutes with the keeper saving comfortably. Harvey did well again on 45 minutes to clear away a dangerous cross from the right by Kavanagh with Antonio Diaz poking the loose ball just wide. In the first of 2 minutes of added time a Garside effort was blocked before the final action of the half saw a second yellow card for Down after an innocuous looking coming together just in front of the technical areas.
The Parkway manager was then shown a straight red card after encroaching onto the pitch and confronting the referee to contest the decision.
A fairly even half lacking any great quality with Parkway having plenty of possession but with neither side able to create many clear chances, much of the play being compressed into midfield and defences generally remaining on top. The sending off meant that for the second week running Parkway would have to play the second half a man short.
Parkway sacrificed Crago for the second half with Aaron Goulty coming on to stiffen up the midfield. Gosport also made changes at the break with Alexander Barsa and Zak Sharp replacing Hollands and Da Costa Ramos. Parkway set up to allow Gosport possession, concede territory and look to contain, stifle the midfield area and play on the counter.
On 49 minutes Gosport created their first chance of the half with Harvey tipping over a header by Charlie Wassmer from a corner on the left. Gosport began to dominate possession, remain patient in their build up play and look to switch their points of attack by stretching Parkway and forcing them to defend deeper.
Matt Wright remained isolated up front seeing little of the ball and lacking support around him. On 58 minutes Barsa was booked for a shirt tug as Gosport continued to apply pressure and probe openings. Parkway continued to compete and defend well with Harvey rarely tested however the pressure finally told with the visitors taking the lead on the hour.
Patient build up play along the right saw a cross headed on from the near post to the far post where the unmarked Wooden tapped home from close range.
Parkway continued to look to contain but offered little attacking threat however a rare break forward on 66 minutes saw Wright head just wide. Gosport remained in control playing the game at their pace with Parkway working hard to stem the tide, keep their shape and forcing errors from Gosport who despite their dominance were unable to create any further clear chances.
On 76 minutes Parkway introduced fresh legs in the shape of Dylan Jones who replaced the hard working but isolated Wright up front. Goulty was the next player to be booked as the game became scrappy and untidy. Gosport continued playing their patient game with Parkway unable to gain or retain any meaningful possession or make any forward progress.
On 83 minutes Gosport replaced Diaz with Jonathan Efedje whose first contribution was to make a strong run forward only to be brought down by Rose 25 yards out. Rose was booked for the challenge. The free kick lacked power or direction and was easily gathered by Harvey.
However in their next attack on 86 minutes Gosport doubled their lead and surely sealed the game. Another controlled passage of play along the right saw a deep cross to the far post where the unmarked Rew headed home from close range.
With the game all but safe Gosport looked to manage the game out which allowed Parkway to get more players forward forcing a couple of free kicks in the final third which came to nothing.
On 88 minutes Parkway broke along the left with the cross again lacking quality and being easily gathered by Steward under no pressure. In the 5 minutes of added time Parkway forced a corner with the delivery lacking quality and being easily cleared with the visitors Corey Jordan becoming the 9th player to be booked as Parkway applied a bit of late pressure all too easily contained by the strong Gosport defence.
Despite a much improved performance from Parkway another disappointing result. Although controlling much of the first half they were unable provide the penetration required in the final third and lacked clinical finishing in the occasional chances they created.
Playing with a man down for the entire second half eventually took it’s toll against a well drilled and resolute Gosport who at this early stage of the season have 2 wins out of 2 and are yet to concede a goal. Parkway meanwhile lie bottom on goal difference and are yet to score a goal.
Not a dirty game by any means but 9 yellow cards, 4 for Gosport and 5 for Parkway plus a red for the manager maybe an indication of things to come with the new regulations and directives introduced for officials this season.
Parkway’s next chance to get their first points on the board comes on Tuesday with newly promoted Sholing the visitors to Bolitho Park having won 3-1 at Winchester City today.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Plymouth Parkway
1 Harvey, 2 King, 4 Halls, 5 Rose ©, 6 Down (2nd yellow 45+1), 7 M Williams, 8 Purrington, 9 Crago (Goulty 46), 10 Garside, 17 Wright (Jones 76)
Substitutes:
11 Moulden (unused), 12 Goulty, 13 Sidey (gk) (unused), 14 Jones, 15 Lilot (unused)
Gosport Borough
1 Steward, 2 Kavanagh, 3 R Williams ©. 4 Jordan, 5 Medway, 6 Wassmer, 19 Hollands (Barsa 46), 8 Rew, 9 Wooden, 10 Diaz (Efedje), 18 Da Costa Ramos (Sharp 46).
Substitutes: 12 Efedje, 14 Laidlaw (unused), 16 Sharp, 20 Barsa
Attendance: 383