Recap

Report

The Peacocks got another 90 minutes under their belt with a draw against the Southern Premier side as preparations continued towards the new campaign. After trailing against the run of play at half time Town drew level in the second half against a Parkway side who had the better opportunities after the break.

The hosts started trialist Callum Dolman at the back in an otherwise familiar starting line-up, although it was Parkway who enjoyed much of the early possession without creating much, Jack Crago shanking a shot wide and a Tom Purrington effort deflecting for the opening corner of the contest nine minutes in. The Peacocks gradually got in the groove though and began to make inroads, a Dylan Morgan break feeding Malachi Linton whose angled strike was tipped wide by Parkway keeper Cory Harvey.

The opportunity count continued to increase but nothing taken. A poor defensive clearance allowed Zac Smith to set up Ross Stearn for a scuffed effort to Harvey while Ollie Chamberlain headed a Smith cross wide with the roles then reversed when Smith fired wide of the target after Chamberlain had drilled the ball across from the right. The visitors briefly threatened when former Peacock Toby Down got on the end of Joe Belsten’s free kick to head wide but the tide was very much towards the Parkway goal as Town engineered some good positions. Linton’s crossfield pass found Stearn who couldn’t get enough behind his shot for Harvey to hold easily, and then advantage was played after Morgan got pushed over, Linton though firing narrowly past the post.

Town custodian Dan Lavercombe had viewed from afar for the best part of 39 minutes until he suddenly found himself picking the ball out of the net, a long ball being cleared by Dolman and finding its way to Alex Cairo whose effort from 20 odd yards wrongfooted the new Taunton keeper as he watched it fly past him to hand Parkway the lead.

Stearn’s header struck a defender for an early Taunton corner as the home side looked to restore parity after the interval. However they were lucky not to go two down just five minutes in, Crago latching onto a long ball and laying across for Cairo to fire against the post, the ball rolling along the line before being scrambled clear. Morgan saw his low shot held before the Peacocks equalised after 58 minutes, Stearn teeing up Lloyd James for a great cross which Linton dispatched into the corner with a nicely placed header for his first Town goal.

The Plymouth outfit responded straight away as they went on the offensive. Cairo forced Lavercombe to palm away his strike while more space in the box allowed a free shot which was cleared off the line and the follow-up from Crago whistled just wide. The inevitable substitutions followed during the rest of the game and the chance count began to diminish. A lofted pass into the box from Dolman saw Morgan produce a brilliant acrobatic volley which just cleared the bar while at the opposite end Dylan Jones fired into the side netting as the game faded to its conclusion.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Dan Lavercombe, Nick Grimes (captain) (Cameron Evans 63), Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James, Joe Guest, Ross Stearn (Nick McCootie 63), Austen Booth, Zac Smith (Evander Grubb 78), Callum Dolman (Rabby Tabu 78), Dylan Morgan (Marcus Day 72), Malachi Linton. Unused sub: Lloyd Irish

Plymouth Parkway: Cory Harvey, Joe Belsten (Aaron Goulty 63), Ryan Lane (captain), Toby Down, Calum Rose, Alex Cairo (Mackenzie Toms 81), Mike Williams, Tom Purrington, Jack Crago (Dylan Jones 81), Rio Garside, Alfie Moulden. Unused sub: Callum Hall

Officials

Referee: Craig Scriven (Highbridge)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Bobby Porter (Taunton)
Referee’s Assistant 2: David Trevaskus (Weston-super-Mare)

Attendance

367

Reaction

“I thought we did some really good things and then we did some quite sloppy things at times……” watch Rob Dray’s Match Reaction on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

Unfortunately no match highlights are available

Photos

Match photos from Club Photographer Debbie Gould can be viewed HERE