Match Preview: Southern League Premier Division South
Plymouth Parkway vs Basingstoke Town
When: Friday 3rd April 2026 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Bolitho Park, St Peters Road, Manadon, Plymouth, Devon PL5 3JG
Plymouth Parkway (Parkway), 2025-26 League Position 14th
The topsy turvy, penalty-packed, injury-strewn, draw at home to Taunton Town, was thought by many, to be two points dropped, rather than a point earned, as once again, we played the better football, for large chunks of the game.
We now head to Devon to take on Plymouth Parkway, who have currently been on a decent run of form. We played Parkway in the reverse fixture, back in the first month of the season, where another controversial red card, this time to Scott Armsworth, sent us down to ten men, and Parkway scored from the resulting free-kick. Stoke did battle back in the second-half, as Billy Upton powered home a header from a corner, with under ten-minutes remaining, and we shared the points in the 1-1 draw.
Our Opponents
The Parkway have made a change in management since we played them, as Chris McPhee, was replaced at the start of March by Stuart Dudley who will remain interim Manager for the rest of the season. Parkway will then look for a new Manager for 2026-27 season.
Parkway had been on a decent unbeaten run of five games, winning three of those matches, but a 3-0 loss at Gloucester City, last Saturday, could have been partially down to late on-loan recalls of goalkeeper Freddie Phillips, and attacking winger, Tylor Love-Holmes, plus six injuries to their squad from their previous game. The Gloucester loss, leaves them in fourteenth, with their record at Pld 37 Won 12 Drawn 7 Lost 18 and 43pts. Their home record sits at an acceptable 9 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses, including winning their last four home games on the bounce. Their leading goalscorer is Andrew Rocky Neale, with eight league goals, but again he missed last Saturday, so is likely a doubt for tomorrow. Love-Holmes had five goals in his short-time at Bolitho Park, leaving very few actual out-and-out strikers. 18 year-old Aidan Warne is one, but he has been used more as a second-half substitute.
Their squad continues to be packed with a large number of midfielders and some of these will be pushed into attacking roles tomorrow. Starting with the Garside brothers, Rio & Carlo, who both have two league goals, and both return for another season at the club. Rio the older brother captained the Yellows last week. Another midfielder is left-sided winger Will Sullivan, who at just 18, moved into men’s football with Millbrook, then Helston and Mousehole last season. Another mainstay in the middle is Callum Hall, (6 goals), who came through the ranks at Plymouth Argyle becoming U18’s captain, before being released at 17 and joining Parkway briefly. He then joined Larkhall and Tiverton, before returning back home to the yellows. Another midfielder is Cruis Nyadzayo, who has recently played for Sittingbourne and then Punjab Utd. James Watt Barciela is another winger, with loan spells at Bovey Tracey and Willand Rovers, but now entering his second season at Parkway. Add Mitchel Bearmore who is on-loan from Bath City to the mix too.
Their defence contains Toby Down well-known to South-West football, and who recently joined from Tiverton, and is signed till the end of the 2026-27 season. British Virgin Island international Taylor Scarff, is in his second season with the club, having started at Yeovil Town and then Tavistock. Jensen Ireland, is a defender who came through the ranks at Exeter City’s academy, and has virtually been an ever present for the team this season. Full-back Reece Shanley re-joined the Yellows following his departure from Devon outfit Willand Rovers. Shanley played an instrumental role in helping Parkway avoid the drop on the final day of the 2022/23 season. Jack Veale, is another player who came from Exeter City’s academy, playing in the Welsh League before joining Parkway. With Frankie Phillips, back at Exeter City, Freddy Lamar filled in against Gloucester, but received a late head injury, and will also not be available tomorrow. This likely means Luke McCormick will be back wearing the goalkeepers jersey.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
The point Saturday, helped push us a little closer towards that safety point number, but on the downside more crucial injuries hit the squad, the biggest being recent signing, and influential Max Herbert, probably gone for the season. A knock also to Cheick Sylla, just before the halftime break, is likely to see him miss Friday’s match, which potentially allows him to make some contribution Monday against Sholing. Add the loss of Reading youngster Joe Barough for the season
The point against Taunton, and with other results, now has us sitting in sixteenth place. With our record at Pld 37 Won 11 Drawn 9 Lost 17 and 42pts. Our away record now stands at 4 Wins, 5 draws & 9 losses. Our forward line, will now likely be led by Joe Grant, who seems to have slotted well into that centre-forward role, and will now likely be supported by Robbie Gallagher and or George Reid. Gallagher got the start against Taunton and was a constant thorn to their defence, whilst Reid, was a second-half substitute, who is still getting back to full-fitness. Ore Bello is also a strong candidate for playing time, having been an active sub in the last two games. Dan Rowe is also an option, but was missing again last weekend from the matchday squad.
With the midfield taking the recent hits of Max Herbert & Josh Dockerill, the team will have to rely once again on the remaining players, starting with Tom Blake the standout player, since his arrival, and six important goals, from this area. He will backed up by Josh Green, and one of either Ben Cook or D’Andre Brown, who should be back and available for tomorrow’s game at Plymouth. The loss of James Dickson, who left for more playing time could be felt here.
The defence one more played well, but lapses and unfortunate refereeing decisions, allowed three more goals, in a game that Stoke looked in control of for most of the game. With Zach Ioannides away on international duty for Cyprus, he may struggle to return in time for this Friday game, and thus his role could fall to Lloyd Snell who missed last week through injury, if he is fit again. If not the reliable James Clark could fill the right back slot. On the left will be Joe O’Loughlin, whilst we could go with three centre-backs like we did last week, with our captain Billy Upton, joined by Jack Ball & Scott Armworth. Elliott Legg, was the unused sub last week, so may not be 100% fit. Our effervescent keeper Simon Grant, was at the centre of the game, once more, and made two good second-half saves when Taunton ha d the occasional break. I would assume he wears the keepers jersey, although the club signed Myles Bowman as a potential back-up if needed.
We head to deep Devon, with a number of key players missing, but with the fact we are unbeaten in our last four league games, whilst Plymouth having won their last four home games, could mean something’s got to give.
A good result by the Stoke players tomorrow afternoon, could put away any real concerns of relegation, and give those travelling Stoke fans something to cheer about on the long journey home.
Let’s Go Stoke !
Match Preview by Martin French..
Polish 
English 