League Preview: Waterford -v- Wexford

WATERFORD

Waterford welcome their south-east neighbours Wexford to the RSC on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm) with a view to picking up their first win in three.

The Blues have picked up just one point from their last two games after they followed up a 3-2 defeat at UCD with a 1-1 draw away to Shelbourne last week.

The league leaders remain three points clear of second-place Cobh Ramblers as both the Rams and UCD have also dropped points in recent weeks but Alan Reynolds will want to reverse the downward trend as soon as possible.

“Our home form has been decent but we’ve got to play better than that [against Shelbourne],” the head coach told the club's media team in advance of the local derby.

“There is no point in trying to fool anyone because we’ve got to play better and we will. We’ve got to strengthen and also get a few players back like Dean O’Halloran and Sander Puri.

“You would forget that we’re still top of the table. We’re still a few points ahead. In our last four games, we’ve had three of them away from home so in our first six games, we’ve had four away so we now have a run of home games.

“Now we can go and concentrate on playing at home again. We need to try push on and the home games are going to be vital. We knew that this was coming because it’s like the first series of games but it will be nice to play back in the RSC.”

Derrymen Davy McDaid and Patrick McClean are both doubts, the former through illness, but there's a readymade replacement for McClean in the form of on-loan Shamrock Rovers defender Sean Heaney.

Ian McLoughlin and Dean O'Halloran are both available for selection once again after recovering from long-term injuries.

WEXFORD

The league's basement side Wexford head into the local derby with league leaders Waterford in the midst of their best run of form all season.

Damian Locke's side are unbeaten in three games following their scoreless draw with UCD at Ferrycarrig Park last week, following on from a win over Cabinteely and draw with Athlone Town.

A win at the RSC, however unlikely, and defeat for Athlone would see Wexford climb out of eighth position for the first time since March – a powerful incentive for the side.

"They're a very good side, and that is why they are top of the league,” Locke told the club's media team ahead of the game.

“We will have to show them the respect that their league position deserves, but we won't go down there fearing them.

“We've played really well in recent weeks, and I feel confident going in to any game that we play/."

Locke will be without midfielder Ricky Fox for an additional three games following his sending-off against Cabinteely after serving the first game of his ban last week.

Midfielder Thomas Croke is also absent, having picked up five yellow cards, while Adam Hanlon and Sean Hurley are out injured for the foreseeable future.

Shamrock Rovers loanee Aaron Dobbs could come into contention after completing his move until the end of the season.

Referee: Jim McKelll

MATCH STATS

The sides have met three times so far this season, twice in the league and once in the EA Sports Cup.

The Blues have won all three games without conceding a goal, winning 2-0 at the RSC and 1-0 at Ferrycarrig Park in the league before meting out a 5-0 thumping in Wexford in the cup.

With an average of more than three goals per game between the sides, the likelihood of entertainment is fairly high.

BETTING

Waterford 1/4; Draw 9/2; Wexford 14/1.

PREDICTION

Waterford 2 – 0 Wexford

Waterford

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Davy McDaid, Patrick McClean.

Suspended: None.

Wexford

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Davy McDaid, Patrick McClean.

Suspended: Thomas Croke, Ricky Fox.