Parkway will be looking to maintain their impressive league form with games in hand on those above them

Karl Curtis and his Plymouth Parkway side return to league action this weekend as they make the trip to Hampshire to take on Basingstoke Town.

Parkway will be looking to maintain their impressive league form as they sit comfortably near the top of the Southern League Premier South, in fifth place, four points off leaders Poole Town.

Meanwhile Basingstoke are fighting near the bottom of the table in 17th.

With games in hand on the three of the four teams above them, the Yellows will see this as the perfect opportunity to make up ground, but face a long 336 mile round trip to face a team who are experienced in the division.

The Yellows enter the weekend off the back of a successful week, where they qualified for the FA Cup first round for the first time in club history, whilst also defeating Exmouth Town in the Devon Bowl on Tuesday night.

A much rotated side walked out onto Bolitho Park as Curtis made several changes to his side following a demanding run of fixtures.

Despite going behind following a Tom Chastery penalty, Parkway responded through a stunning Jack Matthews goal as he opened his account for the Yellows in style.

Despite going into the break at 1-1, quality proved too much for Exmouth as a first goal in yellow for Henry Donovan and a brilliant strike from Hayden Turner, sent Parkway into the next round of the County Cup.

Elsewhere, Basingstoke had a much-needed rest in the week as they suffered back to back away losses to Gosport Borough and Havant & Waterlooville.

The Dragons conceded four goals in both games, whilst only scoring once.

However Basingstoke are not to be underestimated as the side remain unbeaten at home since their loss on the opening day of the season to Evesham United.

Despite this, Curtis’s side will remain confident and will look to put this run to an end despite losing their previous game on the road at Chichester.

The Dragons have toppled leaders Poole as well as sharing the points with Bath City.

Despite that, Basingstoke have recorded one win in their last five matches, that win coming against Malvern Town who sit two places below them.

There is plenty of history between the two sides with Parkway being unbeaten in the last three meetings.

The most recent of those was a 3-0 win at Bolitho, where Callum Hall scored a hat trick to send Basingstoke home empty-handed.

After Curtis shuffled the pack in the win over Exmouth, the Parkway boss could be in for a selection headache, as several players who had waited for their chance in the team impressed.

Captain Rio Garside, Toby Down, Aaron Dearing, and back to back starman Mikey Williams will also return to the squad after they had a well-earned rest in the week after a demanding recent schedule.

After a magnificent week at Bolitho, Parkway will look to take their impressive home form on the road.