Just two months after twice coming from behind to defeat Plymouth Parkway 3-2 at The Wyatt Homes Stadium, The Magpies go west for the return fixture. After Saturday’s matches, Wimborne sit fifth in the league table with a W8 D5 L3 GF 28 GA 14 record, while Parkway are seventeenth with a W4 D6 L7 GF 22 GA 30 record.

We’ve visited the delightful Bolitho Park twice: the first time to face Truro, when they were playing their home games there, in the 2021-22 season; and in 2024-25 for our first ever meeting with Parkway. On that occasion Will Fletcher gave Tim’s team a first-half lead before Cam Munn was controversially given a second yellow, and the hosts took full advantage as goals by Beardmore and Garside took the points. In the reverse fixture in March, Fletcher scored the only goal of the game. Fast forward to September at the Wyatt Homes Stadium when Wimborne edged another close encounter with goals by Lewis Williams, that man Fletcher, and Joe Smith. The Magpies and Parkway have now played three times, and each time there’s been just one goal between the teams.

Games with one goal between the teams is quite a theme for Chris McPhee’s men this season. They’ve played twenty-one games in league and FA competitions, and in only four of them has there been a difference of more than one goal. So let’s delve into those results. At Bolitho Park their league record is W4 D2 L3. Back in August they defeated high-flying Gloucester 2-1, and in September they came back from 3-0 down on the hour mark to bag a 3-3 draw with Dorchester. Since the beginning of October their home results have been: Bracknell (1-0), Taunton (2-1), Evesham (1-0), Uxbridge (0-3), and on Saturday Sholing (1-1). In the FA Trophy, also since the beginning of last month, they’ve played all their ties at home: Gosport (3-2), Poole (1-1 then 7-6 on pens), and National South Salisbury (4-3). They next face a 500-mile round trip to Chatham who knocked Wimborne out of the competition.

‘Rocky’ Neal, who made a return off the bench on Saturday, is Parkway’s leading league scorer with four, while Ryan Brett has three. Callum Hall has scored in both of Parkway’s games in the last week. Goalkeeper Mack Allan, Jensen Ireland, Jack Veale, and James Watts-Barciela have played in all of Parkway’s seventeen league games this campaign.

For Wimborne Sam Jackson, Josh McQuoid, Owen Roundell-Prince, Joe Smith and Billy Walker have appeared in each of our sixteen league games. Will Fletcher and Joe Smith have both bagged six league goals, and Max Bustamante scored the equaliser at Hanwell on Saturday.

Both teams came from behind on strength-sapping surfaces to take a point on Saturday. And both teams will be looking to at least match that on Tuesday under the floodlights. It has all the makings of being a competitive cracker. COYM!

Match Info:

• Parkway’s Ground: Bolitho Park, St.Peters Rd, Manadon, Plymouth PL5 3JG – c.120 miles.
• There are spaces on the team coach for supporters – please contact Paula if you’re interested. Kyran will keep us updated on ‘X’ during the game.
• Admission: Adult: £13; concessions: £11; U16s: £8; U10s: free
• Average Att: 443
• Weather Forecast: Clear; 3oC; <5% chance of rain.