Parkway fight back to earn a big point in relegation dogfight

PLYMOUTH Parkway made a welcome return to Bolitho Park for the first of three home games that will make or break their season on Saturday and they fought back from 2-0 down to claim what could turn out to be a huge point in their battle to avoid relegation from the Southern League Premier Division.

- GRAHAM LLOYD

After goals by Josh Tobin and Johl Powell either side of half-time gave Walton & Hersham a commanding lead, things looked bleak for Lee Hobbs' men. But Callum Hall struck with eight minutes remaining to give them hope before a Dylan Jones goal two minutes from time salvaged a draw.

Seventh-placed Walton and Hersham still had an outside chance of clinching the final play-off place and three changes were made from Thursday's heavy 4-0 defeat at Hanwell Town with Alex Cairo, Dylan Jones and Reece Thomson replacing Jack Bray-Evans and Hall, who were named as substitutes, and the unavailable Cameron Sangster.

Parkway started at a high tempo, dominating the early possession and almost took the lead on 17 minutes. A long ball into the right hand channel saw Jack Crago go clear and cross with Reece Thomson's acrobatic overhead effort flashing narrowly wide.

Arguably against the run of play and out of nowhere the visitors took the lead on 41 minutes with their first shot of the half. Central defender Tobin was allowed to run unchallenged from deep in his own half and spotting Adam Parkes well off his line displayed excellent vision to spectacularly lob the keeper from around 45 yards.

Parkway made a double change at the break with strikers Matt Wright and Bray-Evans replacing Crago and Thomson in a like-for-like change.

Parkway again started the half brightly and on 52 minutes, a Walton error at the back allowed Wright to get in behind the defence with keeper Tyla Dickinson doing well to nick the ball off the striker's feet and deny Wright getting his shot away.