Plymouth Parkway 2 v 0 Gillingham Town – 19/10/13
This FA Vase match was being billed as a clash of the titans as the Gills were sitting at the top of the Western League and Plymouth had won all 10 of their league games this season.
Unfortunately, the Gills went into this game missing several key players again, crucially two of them being strikers. The players absent were Ashley Clarke, Joe Smeeton and Harry Baker (all injury) together with Steve Smith (unavailable) and Ben Thomson (suspension). This meant that the Gills had to play with Phil Ormrod as a lone striker with Aaron Rodriguez and Danny Thompson supporting from midfield.
Right from the off it was clear that these were two quality teams with some slick football being played and it didn’t take long for the first good chance to be made. This fell to the Gills on the 5 minute mark when Phil Ormrod took a shot from the edge of the area that sailed just over the bar.
The Gills edged the opening stages in terms of possession but with only one striker they were struggling to convert this possession into good chances. Parkway started to get into the game more after the first 15 minutes and Jamie Beale in goal for the Gills had to make a couple of saves to keep the scores level.
The two teams were matching each other and as a result the next chance didn’t come till just after the half hour mark when Plymouth saw a shot from just outside the area sail over the bar. A couple of minutes after this saw the best chance of the game so far when Danny Thompson floated a cross towards the back post where an unmarked Gary Bowles headed towards goal, but he was denied by a great point blank save by the Plymouth keeper Ben Elphick.
The Gills had another great chance to open the scoring after 36 minutes when a break out of his own half by Aaron Rodriguez ended with him laying the ball off to Danny Thompson who just had Elphick to beat. Although Danny put his shot across the face of goal and out of the reach of the keeper, he unfortunately also dragged it just wide of the far post.
Moments later Plymouth had their best chance of the game so far, but their close range shot was blocked at the last minute by Jack Vallis. They weren’t to be denied though and in first half additional time the Gills defence failed to clear a corner and Parkway defender Gavin Coulton stabbed the ball into the net from six yards out. This proved to be the last action of a very even first half with the Gills unfortunate to be trailing by the one goal.
Things went from bad to worse for the Gills after only 4 minutes of the second half when Parkway doubled their lead. A strike from well outside the area was scuffed but still found its way through to Steve Colwell who was behind the central defenders in what appeared to be an offside position and he rounded Jamie Beale before calmly slotting the ball into the goal to make it 2-0.
The Gills pressed harder for a goal now but still couldn’t break down the Parkway defence, although Aidan Chainey saw a shot from just outside the area tipped over the bar by Elphick.
As the game went on the Gills pushed forward more and more and this obviously led to a much more open game and left them exposed at the back, resulting in a few close shaves, but there was no change to the score at the final whistle so the game ended with a 2-0 victory for Plymouth.
This was an entertaining match full of good football between two very even teams with the timing of Plymouth’s two goals being crucial. The result could have been different on another day but fair play to Plymouth and we wish them all the best for the next round.
Man of the Match was Aaron Rodriguez.
Gills line-up: Beale, Murray, N Thomson, Vallis, Compton, Bowles, Chainey (Cox 70), Vance, Ormrod, Thompson (Hatcher 70), Rodriguez. Unused sub: Foster.
Terry Lucas
