Parkway hold firm to make it two from two at Bolitho
Parkway v Havant & Waterlooville | Match ReportBy Mike Parrish
Plymouth Parkway made it two wins from four and maintained their 100% home record with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Havant & Waterlooville at Bolitho Park.
After two demanding away trips had yielded just a single point, Parkway returned to familiar surroundings and produced another side to their game under Karl Curtis, showing patience, resilience and the defensive resolve required to see out a difficult second half.
 Plymouth ParkwayHavant & Waterlooville 
2 - 1Full Time |
Full Match Report
Images: Ellie Bailey
Curtis shuffled his pack with Taylor Scarff ruled out through injury, handing Ed Harrison and Ryan Brett their first starts of the season. Carlo Garside dropped to the bench, while Jack Brimming was recalled to the squad.
Parkway started brightly, with Rocky Neal registering the first chance of the afternoon inside two minutes when his driving run ended with a 20-yard effort clearing the crossbar.
Havant looked to make full use of their height and physicality during the opening stages, with Blaise Riley-Snow and Imran Uche winning a host of early headers and 50/50 challenges.
With Scarff absent, Harrison settled into the right side of the back three, with Mikey Williams providing his usual commanding voice alongside Toby Down as Parkway dealt with the early aerial threat.
The hosts began to find their rhythm and a fine move down the left involving Joel Sullivan and Williams eventually found Callum Hall inside the area, although the midfielder could only fire over.
Parkway continued to apply pressure, with a succession of corners creating further opportunities. Sullivan went close, followed by Brett, before Neal fired over with a snap-shot.
On 16 minutes, Rio Garside found himself in space inside the area but appeared caught between shooting and crossing, eventually firing over when well placed.
Havant’s number three Harvey Laidlaw was beginning to impress, using his intelligence to create space and helping the visitors carve out some promising openings, although the Hawks were yet to seriously test Aaron Dearing.
Brett, making his first start of the new campaign after being named Parkway’s Player of the Year last season, was beginning to grow into the contest. Operating in front of the back three, the experienced midfielder looked to get the ball down and dictate the tempo, with Hall and Garside providing support ahead of him.
But against the run of play, Havant found the breakthrough. A quick counter-attack opened Parkway up and Paul McCallum finished from inside eight yards to give the visitors the lead.
Parkway were briefly shell-shocked, and moments later a loose back pass from Harrison almost created further problems, with Dearing only able to watch as the ball fortunately trickled wide of the post.
But Parkway responded immediately. The pressure continued and Joel Sullivan was clipped inside the area, leaving referee Matthew Uren with no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Rocky Neal kept his composure from 12 yards, sending Matt Kerby the wrong way to score his fourth goal in as many games and bring Parkway level. Havant enjoyed their best spell of the half afterwards, with last season’s top scorer Ryan Seager beginning to find more space.
Williams became the first name in the referee’s book and a dangerous set piece followed, although the Hawks were unable to capitalise as Parkway came under increasing pressure.
But this is a different Parkway side. Just after receiving his booking, Williams turned defence into attack, linking with Neal as Parkway broke forward. Despite the best efforts of the Havant backline, the ball eventually fell to Hall on the edge of the area.
The midfielder made no mistake. Hall guided a sumptuous left-footed effort beyond the outstretched Kerby to put Parkway in front and send Bolitho into the interval in a buoyant mood.
The second half began at a quieter pace, with neither side making changes at the interval and Parkway now attacking towards the clubhouse end.
Havant looked to slow the tempo and take greater control of possession, adopting a more patient approach in their build-up. Parkway were happy to pick their moments, however, and remained dangerous when they attacked.
Hall’s clever third-man runs created a number of half chances for Reece Thomson during the opening ten minutes of the second period as the hosts looked comfortable with their lead.
For the back-to-back crowds of around 600 at Bolitho to begin the new season, it was another demonstration of the different sides this Parkway team can produce.
The opening-day demolition of Bracknell showed the attacking potential. This was a performance built around control, discipline and a willingness to suffer when required. Neal began to cause increasing problems for the Havant defence, first seeing a left-footed effort saved by Kerby before the ball cruelly ran away from him when he found himself clean through on goal on the hour.
The visitors were by no means out of the contest. On 63 minutes, Riley-Snow produced an impressive solo run, driving into the Parkway area before forcing Dearing into a smart save with his outstretched leg.
The warning signs were there. Moments later, Riley-Snow was again the orchestrator, teeing up Seager for what looked a certain equaliser, only for Dearing to spread himself in almost Schmeichel-esque fashion to make a superb save and keep Parkway ahead.
From the resulting attack, Hall drove into the area and saw his low effort deflect off a defender before looping narrowly over the crossbar.
Neal’s race was then run. After another blistering hour, the striker was replaced by the evergreen Will Sullivan as Curtis looked to manage the closing stages.
Havant continued to threaten down the flanks and one dangerous delivery produced a goal-saving headed clearance from Williams as the visitors grew in confidence.
With ten minutes remaining, Hall was withdrawn for Carlo Garside as Curtis looked to nullify the increasing threat from the Hawks.
At times Parkway looked vulnerable, with Down twice using his experience to position himself perfectly as Seager and company looked for an opening.
But the backline continued to stand firm. Williams was later named Man of the Match by match sponsors MAG Developments, and it was difficult to argue with the decision.
The Wizard produced another vintage display, making huge contributions at both ends of the pitch and leading Parkway through the difficult closing stages.
Five minutes of added time were indicated, but Parkway refused to buckle. The final whistle eventually brought relief and celebration around Bolitho as Curtis’ side secured a second home victory of the campaign.
Two wins from four games, one point from the opening two away assignments and, most importantly, a perfect home record intact.
After the fireworks of opening day, Parkway have shown they can win games in very different ways.
Parkway Partners
