Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 21st October 2023
Plymouth Parkway 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance 426
Where: Bolitho Park, St Peters Road, Manadon, Plymouth, Devon PL5 3JG
Dan Brownlie’s line-up saw the return of Stefan Brown, whilst injuries saw the travelling squad missing a number of players: 1. Mark Scott, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4. Michael Atkinson, 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Billy Upton, 7. Paul Hodges, 8. Simon Dunn (Capt), 9. Stefan Brown, 10. Dan Rowe, 11. George Reid
On the bench: Ashleigh Artwell, D’Andre Brown, Noah Chengun, Harvey Collins & Joel Halliday
Referee – TBC
Basingstoke’s longest trip of the season, got underway with Stoke attacking the clubhouse end, with a large contingent of Stoke fans making the trip.
It was Stoke who took the initiative in the opening few minutes, with attacks down both wings from Dan Rowe & George Reid, but both were well defended by the Parkway defence.
A further chance arose when Reid was pulled down, just outside the penalty area. Rowe’s free-kick beat the wall, but was comfortably held by their keeper.
Parkway’s first attack was a cross that Mark Scott comfortably held, however a minute later a shot from outside the box, somehow got past Scott and Stoke fell behind. Plymouth 1-0 Basingstoke
This ignited the best move of the game, as a minute later we were back level, as a move involving a number of Stoke players, saw Rowe finding Stefan Brown, who took a touch then neatly slid the ball to Reid, who took two touches, then gave the Parkway keeper little chance, as his left-foot shot found the right-hand bottom corner of the net. GOAL! Plymouth Parkway 1 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Reid 13 mins)
The game continued with Stoke pushing for the next goal, but it was the homeside who had the next chance as a Parkway forward somehow found his way through our defence, but slashed his shot wide of the right-hand post.
Stoke win two corners, but again we put nothing on goal to worry their keeper.
Parkway then have the next couple of minutes, as the long grass allows them to break, and another fortunate rebound falls to a Parkway forward and his shot clips off Nathan Smart sliding block, over Scott in goal and across the face of the goal, and Callum Winchcombe is able to clear the ball.
Stoke then nearly retake the lead, after good work from Paul Hodges, who finds Reid, but his cross is blocked out for a corner. The kick finds Rowe who heads the ball towards the goal, only for the home keeper to somehow palm the ball away.
We move towards the final few minutes of the half, with both Hodges and then Reid needing assistance from our physio after they take knocks.
The referee allows three minutes of added-time before blowing for halftime.
Halftime Score: Plymouth Parkway 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town
The second-half gets underway with Stoke now attacking the covered end, and Stoke create the first chance, but the noticeably inconsistent referee waves away a clear penalty, as Reid is through on the keeper, but gets pulled down by the Parkway centre-back.
Stoke continue to attack and good work from Hodges, who finds Reid, but his cross is blocked out for another corner, which again Parkway deal with.
Then on fifty-six minutes, Scott in goal, then makes the save of the game, as a downward header bounces up, and Scott somehow pushes it away.
More inconsistent refereeing allows a Parkway defender to stay on the pitch showing him just yellow card as the Stoke fans expected more.
We move past the hour-mark, and it’s time for our first change with Stefan Brown being replaced by the return of Ashleigh Artwell (65 mins).
The flow of the game continues to be affected by the state of the pitch, but Stoke still seem the team more likely to break the deadlock.
The referee continues to make more strange decisions, but Artwell marks his return with a neat move down the left until the pitch helps out the Parkway defender.
It’s time for another change as D’Andre Brown replaces Paul Hodges (76mins).
Then just a minute later Ashleigh Artwell pulls up and this does not look good, and he has to be replaced, and it’s Noah Chengun who replaces him (78mins).
Players from both slides continue to lose their balance or slip over, as this pitch somehow seems to be getting worse.
Now in the final five minutes we are still looking for the winner, but it just isn’t happening.
The referee confirms there will be five additional minutes, but it looks like stalemate, as neither team can put anything of note on either goal.
The five minutes have been played and the referee calls time on the game and the game ends with both teams taking a point.
Full-time Score: Plymouth Parkway 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town
Hall 12 mins Reid 13 mins
Match Thought’s
A long journey for the players who had to battle not only a determined Plymouth side but a pitch that does not help our flowing style of football. We will take a point, but some would have expected more. Again It appears we have picked up more worrying injuries, which will likely affect our line-up on Tuesday evening.
Reid’s stunning finish the highlight of the game.
Up Next:
After two games on the road, we head home for a Tuesday night-match-up at Winklebury, as we host Hayes & Yeading United.
Match Report by Martin French..
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