Parson Drove boss reflects on the positives after ten-goal thriller with Cornard United

greg.plummer@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 20:11, 13 November 2023

The lights went out at Main Road on Saturday - but only after a ten-goal thriller that had the spectators present on the edge of their seats.

Seventh-place Parson Drove were 1-0 down to their 13th-place opponents, 4-2 up and then 5-4 down in this topsy-turvy affair.

Despite letting a two-goal lead slip from their grasp in a crazy encounter, Drove boss Aaron Duke preferred to focus on the positives after the game was abandoned at 5-5.

Parson Drove v Cornard United. Matteo Perkins scoring his first goal to make it 1-1

Duke said: "After our first half performance, especially the first 30 minutes, maybe I'd say I'm happy with the point.

"We knew we'd be better second-half and we looked like the team we have been.

"Yes we made a couple of mistakes, but again it's a young group learning and they are going to make mistakes.

"I'm not going go in that changing room and criticise anyone for making a mistake. We're learning on the job at the minute and are not blessed with being able to train every day.

Parson Drove v Cornard United. A two-minute silence before the game

"I did feel second-half they stepped it up and we played a lot better football. We have come on leaps and bounds in terms of our grit, determination.

"We wouldn't have done that last year and we'd have lost that game comfortably."

Matteo Perkins netted a hat-trick to make it 15 for the season and Callum Robinson and Nandeli Pelembe were also on target.

The result is expected to stand.

Drove's form has left them on the fringes of the First Division North play-off places but Duke is taking one game at a time and is not looking at the bigger picture.

Parson Drove v Cornard United. Parson Drove manager Arran Duke

Parson Drove v Cornard United. Matteo Perkins scoring his second goal

"We've got ourselves in a position we didn't expect to be in," he said.

"We knew we had a good group, but thought it was going to be a year or two years with the age of them to really sort of gel at this level.

"It's happened quicker than we expected and the play-offs is only something we could dream of last year.

"So we're looking at but we're not putting any pressure on ourselves but if it happens then it's a bonus."

On Saturday, Parson Drove are away to title-chasing Framlingham Town.

Football Greg Plummer