Gloucester survive late scare to secure first win of the season
Gloucester City survived a late fightback from Plymouth Parkway on Tuesday night, narrowly claiming a 3-2 win.
A double from Joe Hanks saw City two goals to the good at the break, before Mekhai Bessasa-Grant added his first goal for the club, following his arrival from Oxford City.
But the Tigers, who came from 3-0 down to claim a point themselves at the weekend, were nearly on the end of a comeback.
Carlo Garside reduced the deficit to two, before Dylan Jones’ effort squirmed through Jared Thompson to set up a nervy finish.
Thompson had made a couple of smart stops before Jones’ goal, but Parkway couldn’t find that final touch to take a share of the spoils.
The win sees Mike Cook’s side move onto four points from their opening two fixtures, ahead of the visit of Wimborne Town on Saturday.
On a night with a weird tension of an atmosphere in the stands, the game started pretty slowly.
City had a lot of the ball, without really doing anything to penetrate the Parkway defence – it was controlled without being spectacular.
Bessasa-Grant fired wide with the first effort of the game, before Brandon Smalley’s header struck the foot of the post.
Parkway grew into the contest from there and nearly snatched the lead themselves – but Thomas Dean’s goalbound effort was blocked before it could reach Jared Thompson’s goal.
But just before the half hour mark, Hanks struck his third goal of the season, drilling home after a corner fell to him at the back post.
Hanks, who scored two in the 3-3 draw at Taunton on Saturday, secured back-to-back braces with a screamer of an effort 10 minutes later.
The midfielder turned and drove towards goal, before letting fly from the best part of 25 yards – with his effort flying past Luke McCormick.
Ten minutes or so after the restart and City thought the game was completely safe. Brandon Smalley saw an effort from the edge of the box saved by McCormick, only for Bessasa-Grant to follow up to make it 3-0.
Parkway responded within two minutes, with a pretty scrappy goal to concede. After Thompson made a good initial save, Jamie Reckord fluffed his clearance and Carlo Garside was on hand to slam home to give the visitors hope.
Hanks went close to his hattrick twice in quick succession, volleying wide after chesting down at the back post – before curling against the upright from the edge of the box moments later.
With twenty minutes to go, Thompson produced a great close range stop to keep the lead at two goals, however Parkway did set up the grandstand finish when Jones squeezed an effort through Thompson, with four minutes to go.
City spent the bulk of the remainder of the contest looking to see the game out, with Parkway’s best effort coming in the 92 minute – but the ball was flashed across Thompson’s goal.
The final whistle brought a sense of relief for Gloucester and their supporters, with the all-important first win of the season ticked off.
Following the visit of Wimborne on Saturday, City head to Dorchester Town and host a Merthyr Town side who are two wins from two this season.
Whilst Tuesday night was an obstacle for City to hurdle, you feel tougher tests will come in the following weeks.
Gloucester City: Thompson, Richards-Everton, Reckord, Duffus, Hamilton, Dawson, Hanks, Pinchard, Bessasa-Grant, Williams, Smalley
Subs: Ball, Creed, Burns, Phillips, Leadbitter
Plymouth Parkway: McCormick, Dean, Brett, Scarff, White, Williams, Hall, Jones, Beardmore, Wright, C Garside
Subs: Joce, R Garside, Rose, Cairo, Watts-Barciela
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Joe Hanks (Gloucester City)
READ MORE: Check out this Saturday’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
