Hobbs calls on Janners to turn out and get behond Parkway
PLYMOUTH Parkway manager Lee Hobbs has issued a passionate plea to football fans within the city: Come and see what we are all about.
It is fast turning into an incredible season a Bolitho Park with Parkway winning their seventh game in succession at the weekend, which has thrust them not just into play-off contention, but in with a genuine chance of the league title.
Tonight, they welcome Larkhall Athletic to Bolitho Park for a 7.45pm kick-off knowing that a victory would take them second – and to within two points of league leaders Frome Town with two games in hand.
“Our crowds have been good this year, but we have had those clashes when Argyle have been at home as well, which is a shame,” Hobbs said. “But tomorrow is a perfect evening for the people of Plymouth to come down and get involved and see what we have got to offer.
“I’d like to think there will be a big crowd. Our media team will plug it as best they can – and obviously yourselves can play a part in that – but Larkhall’s a difficult game for us.
“We only won by 1-0 up there three or four weeks ago and they drew 1-1 at Frome on Saturday and 0-0 the week before, so this is a tough game for us and arguably one of the biggest of the season because of what the prize can be for us if we do deliver.”
Parkway’s record at home this season has been outstanding, winning nine, drawing two and losing just one of their 12 games so far and will six of their last eight games remaining on home turf, it is clear to see why Hobbs’ side are the new favourites for the title.
“It’s massive for us and only one of those games, against Lymington on Saturday, clash with Argyle being at home,” Hobbs said.
“Hopefully we will get some big crowds in and get the place bouncing because we are on a rollercoaster at the moment and we don’t want to get off.”
There is also a big game in the Westyern League tonight where Tavistock welcome Clevedon Town to Langsford Park having wrestled top spot back off Exmouth Town.
Tavi’s 1-0 win at Brislington, coupled with a goalless draw between Mousehole and Exmouth, saw Stuart Henderson’s side go two points clear of Exmouth, with a game in hand, and two clear of third-placed Mousehole.
Clevedon are the form team in the Western League and after two curttailed seasons where Tavistock found themselves first and then second before the campaigns were declared null and void, Henderson feels his side deserve to be promoted this time around.
“For me, the lads deserve to be in that Southern League because they finished top and then second in the Covid seasons but, unfortunately, all that hard work that counts for nothing,” Henderson said. “I desperately want them to be there because I think they deserve it but, ultimately, it will come down to what we do over the next seven games and we have a real tough run of games.
“Clevedon and Saltash are two of the in-form teams and I know Dane (Bunney, Saltash manager) feels that, with their fixtures, they can break into the top two or three, so it will be difficult, but at the same time, you don’t win leagues or get promotion without doing well in these games.
“We have a good record in these games, we took six points off Mousehole and drew at home with Exmouth. Other teams that were up there we have beaten as well, so we are confident that, if we turn up we will be OK. There are boys in our dressing room that have won leagues and played in big games before.
“It’s all about playing the game with your head and doing the right things and hopefully we will have some luck because we haven’t had much luck in these recent games, so it is due to turn for us.”
Tomorrow night, Tavi will be hoping Helston Athletic can do them a favour and beat Mousehole, while Saltash United are at Street.
In the Southern League Premier Division tomorrow night, Truro City are at home to Merthy Town, looking to rediscover the scoring touch after three successive goalless draws, while Tiverton Town host Westonsuper-Mare looking for a sixth successive victory.