Parkway Go Fourth - Citizens & Comrades Draw a Blank

Plymouth Parkway moved into fourth place in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South on Tuesday night after beating another play-off contender, Sholing, at Bolitho Park.

This was a crucial game for both teams and a crowd of 305 saw the Boatmen begin the better, forcing home `keeper Kyle Moore into a fine early save.

But the opening goal arrived on 32 minutes, and it went to Parkway, whose Callum Hall cut in to hit a fierce drive past Sholing keeper Ryan Gosney.

The visitors hit back though and were back on level terms within 5 minutes with a header from a corner by Owen Roundell.

Crucially, however, Lee Hobbs` side took a lead into half-time when Jack Crago headed past Gosney in injury-time.

The second half saw Sholing cause Parkway problems on the counter-attack but on 65 minutes, they conceded a penalty when Hall was brought down in the box and Billy Palfrey made it 3-1 from the spot.

The home side added a fourth goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time when Hall notched his second of the game, beating Gosney at his near post.

The win lifted Parkway past AFC Totton and Winchester City, who are now out of the play-off places on goal difference, while Sholing are seventh, seven points behind their neighbours Totton with a game in hand.

There were two other games on Tuesday involving teams at the other end of the table.

And Cinderford Town moved to within two points of fourth-from-bottom Bideford AFC with a 2-1 success at the Causeway Ground against a Willand Rovers side still not entirely secure as yet themselves.

It didn`t start well for the Foresters though as in the 7th minute, Willand`s Ryan Guppy managed to lob keeper Nick Jones from the halfway line!

But crucially, Cinderford pulled themselves back on level terms 2 minutes into first-half injury-time through Owen Taylor.

Then, on the hour-mark, Alex Sykes` hosts were awarded a penalty which Lewis Bamford duly converted to score what proved to be the winning goal for the Foresters.

They are now five points above second-from-bottom Mangotsfield United after they were beaten 1-0 at Cossham Street by mid-table Highworth Town.

What turned out to be the only goal of the game came after 58 minutes when Oliver Case headed home a free-kick.

The only Tuesday evening game in Division One Central saw play-off chasing Welwyn Garden City and title-hopefuls Berkhamsted share a 0-0 draw at Herns Lane.

Despite the lack of goals, the 256 crowd – the Citizens second highest of the season – saw a full-blooded encounter with only the final touch missing at either end.

The result leaves City still in sixth spot but now level on points with North Leigh and Ware and just two behind third-placed AFC Dunstable.

The point for Berko leaves them three points behind leaders Bedford Town, who have a game in hand.