League Preview: Waterford -v- Athlone Town

WATERFORD

Waterford know they have one hand on the First Division title as they welcome lowly Athlone Town to the RSC on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Blues took a major step towards top flight football for the first time since 2007 when they defeated second-place Cobh Ramblers last week to open up a nine-point lead.

Shane O'Connor (x2), Davy McDaid and Dean Walsh scored second-half goals as the Blues overran the injury-hit Rams at the RSC last Friday.

With just seven games remaining, and a substantial goal different advantage, Alan Reynolds' side effectively need just four wins to seal the title.

And they'll be confident of getting the first of those against an Athlone side who haven't won since May.

“I think that we’ve built a foundation of not conceding and we have the attacking threat to get goals something that we saw against Cobh last weekend,” O'Connor told the club's media team.

“I have to say though that you would go far to see the atmosphere that these lads created here at the RSC.

“It was brilliant and these fans have got really behind us both home and away this season which is fantastic. We have seven games to go and I think that we will win the league the way we’re playing.

“Our squad is full of quality and we’ve all worked hard together to get this project to where it is now.

“We lay our foundations from the back and we don’t concede many goals so I think that we should have this wrapped up in the next couple of games all going well.”

Mark O'Sullivan is ruled out for another couple of weeks with a back injury while Sander Puri continues to recover from ankle surgery, but Reynolds has an otherwise full squad to choose from.

ATHLONE TOWN

Athlone Town arrive in Waterford without a win in their last ten games, and just three draws since Roddy Collins took over more than a full series of games ago.

The midlands side sit just one position above Wexford at the foot of the table and a full ten points behind Shelbourne in sixth.

Athlone Town have failed to provide any team news.

Referee: Eoghan O'Shea

MATCH STATS

The sides have met three times already this season, with the Blues enjoying two wins to Athlone's one.

The opening day saw the then-Colin Fortune-managed Athlone run out susprise 1-0 winners in Lissywollen thanks to a late Colm Coss goal.

Recent meetings have been more predictable, however, as Waterford won 2-1 at the RSC before meting out a 6-1 beating in Athlone in June, their biggest win of the season, with John Martin scoring a hat-trick.

BETTING

Waterford 1/7; Draw 11/2; Athlone Town 18/1.

PREDICTION

Waterford 4 – 0 Athlone Town

Waterford

Injured: Mark O'Sullivan (back), Sander Puri (ankle).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Athlone Town

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.