Focus returns to the League
The Preview: Hanwell Town vs ParkwayBy Kian Williams
Parkway return to league action this weekend, as Karl Curtis’s side travel to West London to face Hanwell Town.
With the historic FA Cup encounter still rightfully in the city’s mind, Curtis’s side must shift their focus to the road as they look to get their away form back on track.
In front of a sold-out Bolitho Park and TV cameras broadcasting the encounter to the world, Parkway came from behind to secure victory and advance into the second round. Berkhamsted’s Luke Andrews opened the scoring early on in the second half, before Rocky Neal’s coolly dispatched penalty levelled the game.
After a chaotic 90 minutes of football, the sides could not be separated, which meant the 2,000+ fans in attendance and viewers across the planet had the privilege of witnessing another half an hour of football.
The Yellows came close on multiple occasions, but it was Mikey Williams whose wizardry earned his side the perfect opportunity to go in front with another chance from the spot. Once again, upstepped Rocky Neal to score his 15th goal of the campaign which sent Parkway into the next round. Now Curtis’s side welcome highflying League Two side Barnet to Bolitho Park, with all eyes set on another cup upset.
“I back us against anyone at home, so if we turn up on the day with a game plan, I don’t think Barnet will relish coming here so its game on.” Said the Parkway boss, who has full confidence in his side.
Now the attention must turn back to the league where Parkway sit in fourth. Their 100% league record at home has proved vital to the campaign, with Curtis’s side looking for their first win on the road since defeating Sholing, two months ago.
The task at hand is a side the Yellows have struggled against in recent years, with the Yellows securing their first win at the eighth attempt in the most recent meeting between the two sides. However this is a Parkway side that are booming with confidence after Monday night’s heroics and look to overcome their fixture history against The Geordies.
Hanwell currently sit 15th in the Southern League Premier South, with the Geordies earning themselves two wins in the last five games. The first came at home to bottom of the league Havant & Waterlooville, who were defeated 6-1. The second also came at home to Evesham United, where the Geordies ran out 2-1 winners after a last-gasp Henry Snee winner.
The Geordies’ most recent outing came away at league leaders Uxbridge. The home side raced into a 2-0 lead before half-time, before George Moore added a third which seemed to secure the points. Despite a late scare from Hanwell where goals from Roberto Nditi and Henry Snee made the latter stages interesting, a sending off from Gabriel Cuthbert destroyed any hope of a comeback. Francis Armartey added a fourth for Uxbridge in added time, which sent the away side home empty-handed.
The only victory against Hanwell in recent history came at Bolitho Park in April of this year, in which Parkway won 2-0. Jack Veale opened the scoring before the interval and Rocky Neal scored the second to cap off a disciplined performance at home.
The Powerday Stadium produced a memorable game in the previous trip to Hanwell. Parkway took a 2-0 lead as the game entered half-time, with Tylor Love-Holmes and Mikey Williams on the scoresheet. However, a second half surge from the home side followed, as Callum Woodcock’s brace levelled the game and Amaru Kaunda’s late winner in stoppage time broke yellow hearts with Parkway leaving the capital empty handed.
A tough test awaits Curtis and his team with the focus set on bringing the points back to PL5.
With the magic of the FA Cup just gone, attention turns back to the league as Parkway make their second trip to the capital this season where Hanwell Town awaits.
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