Parkway through to next round

PARKWAY returned to their higher league hosts in the second round of the FA Trophy hoping to reverse their fortunes after being knocked out of the FA Cup by the same opponents just seven weeks ago having run them so close over two ties.

- GRAHAM LLOYD

A stoppage time equaliser by Oxford in the first tie forced a replay in which they also equalised in stoppage time going on to win 3-1 after extra time. Parkway made two changes from their recent victory over Hayes and Yeading with Toby Down starting in place of Callum Rose and Rio Garside replacing the injured Toby Stephens.

The game quickly settled into a similar pattern to the FA Cup tie with the hosts dominating the early possession with Parkway set up to contain the hosts and look to play on the counter.

Oxford continued to dictate the pace of the game with their patient build up play with the Parkway midfield trio of Billy Palfrey, Callum Hall and Garside showing terrific energy and discipline to harry, hassle and frustrate the hosts. On 19 minutes Aaron Williams-Bushell raced clear along the right with his angled drive being blocked with Parkes doing well to save low down from the same player shortly after. Oxford continued to threaten with little seen of Parkway going forward with Ben Dudzinski in the home goal a virtual spectator.

A rare Parkway attack on 40 minutes saw Booth do well to win the ball deep in his own half and release Jack Crago whose crossfield ball found Lane whose cross lacked the quality to trouble the Oxford defence. Approaching half time Parkes was once again called into action making a full length dive to beat away a Josh Ashby free kick from around 30 yards with the final action of the half seeing more cultured play from Booth send Crago clear with Dudzinski alert to the danger and gathering the loose ball.