Hungerford arrived in Devon without two key figures, Matt Berry‑Hargreaves (illness) and Joe Shepherd (suspension). Meaning first starts for Andrio Brandao and George Franklin. The reshuffle looked challenging on paper, and the opening exchanges did little to ease those concerns.

After just ten minutes, a trademark long throw from Garside caused chaos in the box. The flick-on fell kindly to Rocky Neal, who finished calmly to continue his habit of scoring against Hungerford. The home crowd sensed momentum, but the match flipped dramatically moments later.

Only five minutes after taking the lead, Parkway captain Shane White was dismissed for a late challenge on Josh Marcon. With the away end demanding a red, the referee obliged, leaving the hosts to play 75 minutes with ten men.

Despite the numerical advantage, Hungerford struggled to turn possession into chances. Parkway remained dangerous on the break, and Luke Cairney was the busier of the two keepers, making several important interventions to keep the deficit at one

Managerial tweaks just before and at the interval saw Charlie Austin and Kyle Tooze introduced to add presence and experience up front, and the impact was immediate.

Ten minutes into the second half, a well‑delivered Marcon free‑kick found Tooze, who powered home a header. It was a deserved moment for a player whose work rate has been relentless in recent weeks.

With Hungerford now firmly on the front foot, Ramarni Medford‑Smith produced a moment of real quality. Controlling superbly on the flank, he beat his marker and drilled a low cross into the area. Austin arrived with perfect timing to smash the ball into the net and give the visitors a 2–1 lead.

Hungerford should have extended their advantage after taking the lead. Sam Francis split the defence with a superb pass, sending Austin through, but the striker’s effort was well saved. Moments later, Thomas Conteh surged down the wing and delivered across the box. Tom Chaplin cleverly dummied the ball, but Tooze couldn’t quite adjust his run and the chance slipped away.

Parkway, to their credit, refused to fold. A late punch clear from Cairney dropped to Neal, who volleyed narrowly over the bar a reminder that the points were far from secure.

When the whistle blew, Hungerford had secured a gritty, deserved win, one built on patience, resilience, and second‑half quality. The result lifts them further from immediate danger and sets up Saturday’s home clash with Uxbridge as an opportunity to build real momentum.

Team : Cairney, Leahy (Tooze), Medford-Smith (Chaplin), Franklin, Gyebi (Austin, Luke), Duffus, Smith, McGrory, Marcon, Brandao (Francis), Conteh
Attendance : 410
Star Man : George Franklin