MIKEY MAGIC UP HOPE FOR
AMASTERCLASS in wing play from Mikey Williams eased Plymouth Parkway into the last 16 as they edged past fellow Western League Premier Division Clevedon Town.
Playing once more at the Coach Road home of the Devon FA as their Bolitho Park ground is undergoing extensive rebuilding work, Parkway were made to fight all the way by a skillful and energetic Clevedon, who battled well and never threw in the towel in this entertaining and fast encounter.
It took just 15 minutes for Williams to open the scoring with his pace was too much for the left-hand side of the Clevedon defence and he curled a beauty past the helpless Harley Wilkinson.
Matt Wright should have made it two minutes later when he nodded wide in acres of spave as Clevedon’s back five struggled to cope with the skill of Williams, Ryan Richards and River Allen.
Richards then brought a fine save out of the overworked Wilkinson and Rob Farkins’ header from a corner was nodded off the line before Allen missed with a lob after a long ball over the top.
Clevedon then enjoyed a good spell where Will Gould fired wide from an angle and Callum Gould shot at Kyle Moore but just short of the break a moment of genius from Williams all but clinched the tie for Parkway as he weaved his way through the defence to the byline before presenting Allen with a tap in from a foot out.
Parkway continued their assault after the break too with Richards just denied by
Liam Dempsey’s block then Farkins nodded wide as the home side looked to close the game out early.
Dempsey, however, showed Clevedon were not going away without a fight as he shot into the side netting around the hour mark and Jay Murray almost got the best of Farkins to win a corner which was wasted.
Richards’ sublime first touch set up Williams but Wilkinson saved before the game went into a scrappy phase when the sides seemed to take turns in whining at referee Callum Waller.
Murray was just wide with a cross shot and Elliott Nicholson and Syd Camper tested the home defence midway through the half as Parkway briefly looked rattled.
Camper stayed forward and tested Moore with 15 minutes left then substitute Ethan Feltham blazed over the best chance of the half close to the final whistle.
Town made Parkway sweat in injury time when another substitute, Morgan Williams, tucked a loose ball under Moore but it proved mere consolation as the final whistle blew seconds later.
Parkway now play host to Flackwell Heath who beat Lancing on penalties earlier in the day.