Supplementary Cup

Bude 1  Plymouth Parkway 1

This was the first of two legs in this semi final cup game and with both teams going strong in the league if was always going to be a tight and competitive affair.  Bude were down to the bare bones with players dropping out late through injury, but luckily they have had a strong squad this season and it was required for this game. It was the same as their game against Holsworthy two days previously where it was the defenders who were coming out on top for both teams Wayne Cornish and Dan Starkey solid in central defence and full backs Simon Chadwick and Herbastinho Goodgroves  worked tirelessly to keep the Parkway attacks as few as possible.  Parkway came close early on when a corner wasn't cleared, a striker reacted quickly to strike from close range but Budes Starkey was equally alert to challenge and see the shot fly over the bar off his leg.  Parkways' keeper was rarely troubled in the first half as Bude only had the hard working Tommy Statton up front as Billy Hopcroft who was carrying an injury sat back in midfield.  Midway through the second half a Goodgroves free kick from the left picked out the run of Glen Bickle deep in the box, his head didn't connect very well, but was still heading inside the post and Parkways keeper changed directions to pull off a great save.  With 10 minutes left Bude took the lead, Bickle out on the right laid the ball back to Goodgroves who crossed in, and from the edge of the box Gary Hodgson lost his marker to loop a header in to the top right hand corner. With minutes remaining Parkway got a penalty, Cornish saw the ball bounce off his leg on to his hand and the ref pointed to the spot.  Dean Smith struck well from the spot to equalise and take this finely balanced tie in to next weeks second leg.