A goal fit for a King as Parkway grab a point at Tiverton
Parkway travelled to Tiverton Town in the rearranged Devon derby with the game given the go ahead despite the best efforts of Storm Noa to prevent it doing so.
Parkway made 3 changes from Monday’s win 3-1 over Truro City with Jack Arthur returning in goal in place of Shaun Semmens, Jamie Lowry coming in for the injured Dan Rooney and Ben Seymour for Adam Carter. The 5 Tiverton substitutes were all from their youth team.
 Tiverton TownPlymouth Parkway 
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Full Match Report
Images by Tom Finnie
The game kicked off in heavy, driving rain with Parkway playing against a strong wind. Parkway made a lively start creating a couple of early chances with Ed James blocking a Ryan Lane shot and Ben Seymour firing narrowly wide.
On 6 minutes good build up play along the right between Callum Hall, Harrison King and Jack Crago saw Austen Booth’s cross well defended. With both sides taking time to adapt to the challenging conditions, play became pretty even with Crago slipping as he attempted to latch on to a through ball with Craig Woodman then doing well to deny Seymour a scoring opportunity.
On 13 minutes Lucas Vowles went clear along the left with Booth halting the striker’s progress with a strong tackle. With play continuing at a fast pace, a Parkway corner on the right was pushed away under pressure by Lewis Williams in the Tiverton goal. Crago and Booth then saw close range shots charged down as Parkway looked the more threatening but Tiverton continued to defend well.
On 20 minutes a Tiverton break saw Vowles do well to cross to Dylan Jones who was unable to control the ball which skidded away with Hall clearing the danger.
With the heavy rain continuing to fall, both sides were looking to play a passing game with play switching from end to end but few chances were being created.
However on 26 minutes Parkway took the lead with a fine individual goal. Exeter City loanee King won the ball around halfway and making light of the tricky conditions surged forward, evaded a couple of flimsy challenges and slotted home with the outside of his right foot into the bottom right hand corner from around 15 yards for his first goal for the club.
Tiverton responded immediately and on 28 minutes, in extremely difficult conditions for goalkeepers, Jack Arthur did well to push away a shot from Dylan Jones with Booth clearing the loose ball. Tiverton continued to apply pressure with Cameron Salmon seeing his shot deflected for a corner in the 30th minute. Parkway then broke away with Seymour caught narrowly offside and as he looked to go clear.
The hosts almost drew level on 35 minutes. Arthur allowed a powerful shot to slip from his grasp but reacted superbly under pressure to scramble the loose ball away and prevent it from crossing the line.
In doing so he took a knock which required treatment. Tiverton continued to create openings with a series of crosses from left and right with Booth, Toby Down and Mikey Williams looking strong at the back and defending well.
On 37 minutes another Salmon effort from distance was cleared away by Booth as the hosts continued threaten. On 38 minutes Parkway had a penalty shout waved away after a coming together between the Tiverton keeper and King after a Parkway break along the right.
On 40 minutes Parkway broke clear creating a 3 on 2 situation with Seymour cutting in from the left only to be denied by a save at his near post by Williams. Josh Jones then did well to rob Crago as he looked to go clear. With play continuing to switch from end to end Arthur did will to punch a corner clear in a crowded 6 yard box with the final action of the half seeing Salmon fire a shot from distance narrowly over.
Despite the continuous driving rain and high winds, the pitch was holding up pretty well with both sides coping well with the conditions with some good football being played and in a good spirit. Few chances were being created in an even half with both defences looking strong with Parkway holding a slender lead as a result of piece of individual brilliance by King.
As driving rain continued to fall and now playing against the strong wind, Tiverton made a positive start to the second half.
Vowles fired well over on 47 minutes with Niall Thompson rounding Arthur on 49 minutes only to see his shot from a narrow angle hit the post. With Tiverton now forcing the pace, a long ball found Thompson clear along the right with Arthur saving bravely at the striker’s feet.
Parkway were struggling to stay in the game but managed a break on 53 minutes with Rio Garside cutting inside with his shot deflected for a corner. Mikey Williams picked up the game’s first yellow card for an innocuous looking challenge on 54 minutes. With Thompson becoming increasingly influential, on 55 minutes he again went clear down the right with Arthur saving well at his near post.
Tiverton continued to dominate possession and look threatening with every attack and on 57 minutes Arthur did well to punch a dangerous cross clear with the ball being recycled by Tiverton forcing another corner.
With Parkway now being forced to play on the counter Seymour was caught narrowly off side as he looked to chase a long ball. On the hour Arthur again denied Thompson saving low down at the near post. Joe Belsten then saw yellow for a foul on Crago as Tiverton continued to dominate play and apply pressure with Parkway being forced to defend desperately at times.
On 63 minutes a Tiverton free kick on the right was cleared for a corner by Booth with Matt Britton firing wildly over on 67 minutes after more good work by Thompson. Looking to slow play down and introduce fresh legs Parkway made a double substitution on 67 minutes with Aaron Goulty and Dave Barker replacing King and Seymour, neither of whom were fully fit.
Tiverton continued to dominate possession and control midfield and it was no surprise when they equalised in the 72nd minute despite Parkway feeling they should have been awarded a free kick for a push on Lane in the build-up.
Arthur did well to push away a shot at full stretch with the ball dropping to the impressive Thompson who lashed home the rebound from close range. Despite being on the back foot, Parkway continued to compete well and defend strongly and on 74 minutes they won a free kick wide on the left with Crago blazing over the cleared ball from around 20 yards.
On 77 minutes Josh Jones halted a Parkway attack with a timely tackle and released Louis Morison who linked well with Thompson who set up Dylan Jones who shot narrowly over. Parkway continued to come under pressure and on 79 minutes Thompson was denied his second goal by a superb save by Arthur.
From the resultant corner Salmon fired into the side netting as the Parkway goal continued to bear a charmed life. Parkway were still able to create the occasional counter attack and on 80 minutes Hall just failed to reach a well flighted through ball by Jamie Lowry on the edge of the 18 yard area with Lewis Williams doing well to read the situation and gather the ball.
Tiverton continued to threaten with Arthur gathering a dangerous cross on 83 minutes and again being called into action shortly after doing well to smother an effort from Dylan Jones.
Tom Bath replaced Hall on 85 minutes with Parkway now hanging on after more good work by Thompson in the 88th minute forced a corner once again well defended by Parkway. Tiverton almost grabbed a stoppage time winner with a Britton header from a free kick flashing narrowly wide with Parkway managing to hold out to the final whistle.
Despite the difficult conditions throughout and neither side having much to play for other than county bragging rights, an entertaining game with both sides adapting well with some good football being played.
Parkway edged the first half with Tiverton dominating the second with a combination of fine goalkeeping, resilient Parkway defending and profligate Tiverton finishing denying the hosts a win with a draw probably a fair outcome. Parkway remain in 11th place 3 points ahead of Tiverton in 12th both having played 38 games.
After a short rest and recovery period, Parkway now embark on the last week of the season with their final away game at 7th placed Hayes and Yeading this Saturday before returning to Bolitho Park for 3 home games in 5 days on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday next week.
Supporters may also wish to know that a sub plot takes place at 2pm this Sunday at the Devon FA HQ, Coach Road Newton Abbot when Parkway U18’s face Tiverton U18’s in the final of the Devon U18 Youth Cup. All support would be most welcome.
Match Info
Line-ups:
Tiverton Town
1 L Williams, 2 Belsten, 3 Woodman, 4 Britton ©, 5 James, 6 J. Jones, 7 Morison, 8 Salmon, 9 Vowles, 10 Thompson, 11 D. Jones.
Substitutes: (All unused)
12 McCue, 13 Saunders (gk), 14 Sloan, 15 Carpenter, 16 Johnson
Plymouth Parkway
1 Arthur, 2 King (Goulty 67), 3 Lane ©, 4 Lowry, 5 Down, 6 Booth, 7 M Williams, 8 Hall Bath 85), 9 Seymour Barker 67), 10 Garside, 11 Crago.
Substitutes:
12 Billington (unused), 14 Goulty, 15 Bath, 16 Barker.
Attendance: 289 (estimate 50 away)
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