League Preview: Sligo Rovers -v- Waterford

SLIGO ROVERS

Sligo Rovers will look to capitalize on Friday night’s 21- win over champions Dundalk when the Bit O’ Red welcome Waterford to the Showgrounds (kick off 7.45).

Sligo will hope to make it two wins on the bounce as 8^th takes on 7^th with a win potentially moving the club up to 5^th in the table.

Even with the buzz after the quickest of turnarounds, this will be an added challenge in a side the Bit O’Red have only beaten once in the last year.

Reflecting on last Friday’s win, Sligo boss Liam Buckley was ecstatic but grounded ahead of the visit of Waterford.

“The lads played really well on Friday. There was great commitment from them all. I thought we deserved it over the 90 minutes,” Buckley told the club’s website.

“From our point of view we want to build on our last performance. We saw really good tic-tac play to create the chance for Romeo which was pleasing and overall the number of chances we created was encouraging.

“That is something that we want to increase over time. We have players capable of scoring goals in a variety of ways and Dante’s winner was a good example.

“We just have to push on now and see if we can get something on Monday.

Buckley expressed his frustration at the congestion in the fixtures ahead of his side’s fourth game in two weeks.

“The fixture run of so many games is unnecessary but there is nothing that can be done about that now. 

“Saturday was recovery and we did a small bit of work on Sunday to be ready for this fixture, which we will be.”

Sligo will be without Romeo Parkes through a hamstring problem and Ronan Murray suspended after throwing the ball at the referee in the defeat to Bohemians.

WATERFORD

The Blues travel West this evening hoping to return to form with the trip to face Sligo Rovers at the ShowgrounDS.

After a mixed opening to their league campaign, Waterford come into tonight’s fixture neck on neck with their hosts on ten points, and only three above the relegation zone.

It is a tight table and Waterford’s case was not helped in last Friday’s 2-1 loss to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

“We are going to regroup and we need everyone to stick together like we’re doing,” manager Alan Reynolds told the club’s website.

“We’re not panicking. We all want results, but we need to keep our heads, and work to help players hit form.

“Sligo had a good win against Dundalk so they’ll be looking to build on that; we need to be ready.” 

Kenny Browne is the only absentee for the Blues tonight.

Referee: Ben Connolly

MATCH STATS

This is the first meeting of the sides in 2019 after a dominating 2018 by the Blues. Last season Waterford claimed all 9 points against their Western counterparts.

Sligo only got the better in the quarter finals of the EA Sports Cup last term. Waterford’s away performance will be one to note as they’ve only only managing one away win all season in February’s 2-0 win over Cork City.

It is a run which has seen the Blues with zero points on the road, and conceding 11 and scoring 3.  

BETTING

Sligo Rovers 9/5 Draw 21/10 Waterford 6/4.

PREDICTION

Sligo Rovers 1-1 Waterford

Sligo Rovers:

Injured: Romeo Parkes

Doubtful: Regan Donelon

Suspended: Ronan Murray

Waterford:

Injured: Kenny Browne.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.