Parkway thrash Borough in thrilling league conclusion
By Connor Steel
PLYMOUTH PARKWAY finished this 2025-26 league campaign with style as they travelled to Gosport Borough for the last match on Saturday afternoon (April 25); eventually clinching a six-three success after the “hugely impressive” and dominant away performance throughout the ninety minutes in front of one thousand supporters within the AEI Stadium.
The visitors made a perfect start as they opened the scoring within seventy seconds through Jack Veale; this defender rising highest to head into the net from a corner sent towards the near post. In response Borough had some fine spells of possession but were unable to really push the Parkway defenders; one of them blocking Hisham Kasimu’s low effort.
Proceedings reached the twenty minute mark without incidents and it was Parkway who looked the most likely to score again; which they did when Rio Garside curled a lovely strike into the top left corner for two-nil just before the half hour. Gosport did quickly reduce their arrears as a cross was moved into Ben Greenwood, who fired through a crowd of legs.
Borough seemed to push themselves forward in attacks and they suddenly equalised after thirty-three minutes when a high corner was flicked off the bar; Kasimu lashing a volleyed corner back inside the empty goal from the rebound. But Parkway weren’t done for the first half as Reece Thomson played a pass into this box and Miley Williams slotted home.
Both teams had chances upon the restart as Williams saw his low drive saved, before Jack Bagnall forced a save from Freddy Harvey-Larmer as Gosport tried to get their leveller. Instead it was Parkway who scored their next goal through James Watts-Barciela through a wonder goal after fifty-eight minutes as the winger got past four players before netting.
A deserved fifth goal for Parkway came moments later as a flicked cross split the home defenders and found Thomson racing through on goal from an angle; the attacker chipping over Henry Blackledge with an expert finish. This killed the game as a real contest and allowed both benches to make multiple changes over a fifteen minute period for a short lull.
Parkway had a sixth disallowed, but there was not anything they would do to stop Ethan Taylor scoring Borough’s third goal of the afternoon; the striker running inside and placing one into the left corner for five-three. But the visitors added gloss to their success as their winger played a ball across to Thomson in added time, who steered home the sixth goal.
Despite the tough defeat it is still a creditable season for Borough as they finished in eighth in the final league standing whilst Parkway are lower down in eleventh place with neither team ending near their targets. These will be played over the next week as four sides will fight to play champions Walton & Hersham in the 2026-27 National League South year.
PICTURED BY MJ PHOTOGRAPHY: Ben Greenwood prepares to celebrate the first goal for Borough in busy first half.
