Rocky double sends Parkway through
Parkway v Berkhamsted | Match ReportParkway beat Berkhamsted 2-1 after extra time in a historic encounter, to advance into the Second Round of the FA Cup.
In front of TV cameras and a sold out Bolitho Park, Rocky Neal coolly slotted away two penalties to send Parkway into the next round.
All eyes were on Bolitho, as Parkway entertained Berkhamsted under the lights in the First Round Proper of the FA Cup.
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With TNT Sports cameras in town, Karl Curtis’s side were firmly in the spotlight, as they looked to continue their historic cup run. With the Second Round draw taking place in the clubhouse prior to kickoff, the victorious side will look forward to welcoming League two side Barnet.
Curtis made one change to the eleven that were victorious against league leaders Uxbridge only six days prior. Captain Rio Garside returned to midfield, replacing Ed Harrison. Henry Donovan also made the bench after previously being cup-tied in the qualifying rounds.
In front of a record sold-out Bolitho, Parkway got the tie underway, with the side looking to use their home advantage to the good. However it was the away side who had the first chance of the game. A corner from Berkhamsted captain Jonathan Lacey was swung in from the far side and found the head of a rising Jeanmal Prosper who glanced a header towards goal. Yet it was Ryan Brett who came to Parkway’s rescue as he dramatically cleared the ball off the line in the opening minutes.
The away side continued to have the better start to the historic encounter, maintaining most of the possession and restricting the Yellows to little time on the ball. However, Parkway pulled a chance from nowhere as Rocky Neal’s impressive flick found the feet of Rio Garside. The captain found space inside the box before pulling it back to Reece Thomson. However Thomson could only manage to lift his effort narrowly over the bar.
The tie had certainly sprung into life as either side looked to find the opener. Only minutes after Thomson’s chance at the other end. Berkhamsted’s forward line made a dart into the box, but it was Jensen Ireland who made a goal saving tackle to keep the scores level.
Despite Parkway slowly growing into the game, it was Berkhamsted who looked the most dangerous as the game drifted over the half an hour mark. The Comrades retained the ball well and continued to look good out of possession with a constant high press which denied the Yellows any chance of building up possession.
A series of fouls from the home side broke up the play, but it was Berkhamsted who looked the more likely to find the opener as the game approached half-time.
Some half-chances brought the first-half to a close with neither side managing to break the deadlock.
The Comrades got the second-half underway and immediately continued putting Parkway under pressure. A poor clearance from Ed Palmer gave possession back to the away side, with the ball eventually finding its way to Jonathan Lacey. The striker slipped a through ball to Luke Andrews, who under immense pressure from Ryan Brett, finished well to give the away side a deserved lead in the cup tie.
Parkway now had work to do and almost responded immediately after going behind, with Callum Hall driving his side up the pitch. The midfielder found Reece Thomson, whose shot smashed the post and subsequently away from danger.
A tactical switch from Curtis resulted in Carlo Garside replacing Will Sullivan with the Yellows switching formation as they looked for a way back into the game. Some sustained pressure from Parkway almost brought the leveller, but no Yellow could direct a shot towards goal.
An Ed Palmer long throw caused chaos in the box as Callum Hall’s effort was deflected for a corner. The resulting corner from Jensen Ireland found Rocky Neal who couldn’t get a shot away before Berkhamsted cleared away the danger.
The hard working Callum Hall was withdrawn with 25 minutes to play, with Hayden Turner replacing the Yellow number eight.
Berkhamsted were presented with a golden chance from nowhere, as two attackers found themselves two on one against Toby Down. Ryan Blake drove into the box, but couldn’t find the target as his shot drifted wide of the post.
Parkway had started to finally come to life in the game, with sustained pressure being put on the away side. A cross was directed towards Rocky Neal at the back post with the goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk advancing. Both players collided in the air which resulted in penalty shouts from the majority on and off the pitch. Everyone around the ground glanced towards the referee, who pointed to the spot.
With 2,000 hearts in mouths, Rocky Neal remained composed as the talisman smashed home the leveller, a deserved goal from the home side who had responded so well to going behind.
Parkway continued to pile the pressure on the away side, with Reece Thomson making himself a nuisance upfront which Berkhamsted seemed to have no answers to.
With the fourth official signalling five minutes of additional time, the sold-out crowd were all on their feet as Curtis’s side looked to find a dramatic late winner. After amazing work from Rocky Neal on the left, the ball found his strike partner Reece Thomson free in the box, but one touch too many gave the defender enough time to get across and block the shot.
After a dramatic 90 minutes, the sides couldn’t be separated, which meant the historic cup tie had an extra half an hour of football to play.
Parkway continued their barrage of attacks as the game entered extra time, with the home side now completely dominating the tie. With only one team looking likely to score the next goal, up stepped the wizard Mikey Williams whose brilliant skill inside the box was too good for the Berkhamsted defender, as he brought Williams down earning Parkway another spot kick.
Once again upstepped Rocky Neal, who under immense pressure, delivered when it mattered most, coolly slotting his penalty into the bottom right corner, much to the delight of Parkway faithful inside the packed Bolitho.
For the first time in the tie, Curtis’s side had a lead to hold onto. After completely turning the game on its head, Parkway now had the opportunity to keep their composure and see the game out. The whole team knew how much this meant to everyone inside the stadium and every single player on the pitch worked hard to get that result.
When the final whistle blew, Parkway had done it. Curtis’s side were through to the Second Round of the FA Cup. An already history-defining cup run had at least one more chapter to write, with Barnet now making the trip down to PL5.
“Listen, it’s brilliant, bringing a league club down here, it will be a great occasion again, with the city behind us and hopefully another cup upset.” Said match winner Rocky Neal following Parkway’s victory.
The Parkway boss spoke to TNT Sports and said, “I didn’t want the journey to end tonight and I was so confident it wouldn’t, but we had to find a way.
Curtis then looked ahead to the clash against Barnet, “Wimborne demonstrated that it can be done and I back us at home against anyone, so if we turn up on the day with a game plan, I don’t think Barnet will relish in coming here so its game on.”
Now the focus shifts back to the league when the weekend brings a new challenge. Parkway will make the trip to Hanwell Town, as Curtis’s side will look to get their away form back on track and return to winning ways on the road.
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