League Preview: Derry City -v- Sligo Rovers

DERRY CITY

Derry City are enduring their worst start to a season since 2003, but Roddy Collins has urged calm among the Brandywell faithful ahead of the North-west derby against Sligo Rovers.

City are without a win from their opening four games and the Candystripes have yet to score a home goal. It was not the start Derry had anticipated and a side with their ambitions will want the rot to stop pretty swiftly.

Jon-Paul McGovern is in line to make his first appearance against Sligo, with the ex-Carlisle United midfielder's international clearance having been processed this week.

McGovern could well start the fixture, given that Barry McNamee and Patrick McEleney are out with calf injuries and Barry Molloy is struggling for fitness. With a game against Dundalk to come on Monday night, Collins will be anxious not to risk further injuries.

The Dubliner insists that he can lead Derry out of what has been a difficult opening to the season.

“This has been a really tough start but in this league all the games are tough," Collins said.

"I feel that although we only have three points we have been unlucky at times. An injury time goal at Rovers that denied us three points, a couple of balls off the line in Drogheda and switching off once against Cork have all cost us vital points so far. 

"Having said that, I think that as a new side we have already shown a lot of unity all over the field, we are hard to score against and we have worked hard to contain teams all over the park, from the front men right the way back. I fully expect another tough game on Friday evening and I know that a win will go a long way to showing our supporters we are going in the right direction.”

Derry drew nil-nil with St Patrick's Athletic at the Brandywell last week, a game Collins felt his side could have won, pointing to the chances that fell the way of Michael Duffy, Rory Patterson and Dean Jarvis.

He said: "The lads have been really enthusiastic all week in training after the performance last Friday night. We all felt that we had done enough to win the game and take away all three points but that’s football for you. The start of the season has thrown up some really tough fixtures for us."

Derry have been under a Sligo Indian sign of late and it is 2007 since they last defeated the Bit O'Red at the Brandywell.

Despite this and Derry's slow start to the season, Collins remains confident.

"We're not under any pressure," he insisted. "We've lost just one match in four after what has been a very, very difficult start for us. We're not overly worried. We're okay, we're not under pressure and, while we could have had a few more points on the board, we're confident that we can make those up."

SLIGO ROVERS

With just one win in four games, just three points from a possible twelve, Sligo Rovers have also had a frustrating start to the campaign, but Ian Baraclough is hoping that the Bit O'Red can continue their excellent record against Derry.

Sligo have not been beaten by Derry in the last 16 meetings of the teams. In the last 22 games between these derby rivals, Derry have won just twice, three times if you include a penalty shoot-out win in the EA Sports Cup.

Sligo are unbeaten on their last nine visits to Foyleside - a run that goes way back to July 2007, when Derry won 4-1 in the first game of John Roberston's reign.

“Our record in The Brandywell shows we know how to win there," Baraclough said. 

“We have be strong enough to come through this run. It isn’t ideal, I do think it will be a much tighter league this season and all of the teams challenging will drop points."

Baraclough is without Gavin Peers, Raffaele Cretaro and Seamus Conneely, while medics will give a late fitness test to Danny North.

The Sligo boss believes that his side can turn things around - starting in Derry. He said: “It’s not difficult to keep positive, to remind the players of why they are at the club and that they can produce performances and score goals that will help us improve our league position. There is a responsibility throughout the team to score goals and there is goals all over the park. They will come, when we get those chances, we have to make them count."

The 2012 Premier Division champions are already eight points off top spot and have also not scored in their last three League games. Baraclough expects a tough night at the office. He said: “Looking at how Derry have set up so far, you can see what they are trying to do in frustrating teams and score as they break away.

"With their experience they are trying to be as solid as possible and if you don’t concede goals you don’t lose games.  But the onus will also eventually be on them to come out and try to win the game. We will get chances on Friday night."

Referee: Derek Tomney

MATCH STATS

This will be the 85th meeting between the North-West rivals. From their previous games, Derry have won 28 times, Sligo have won 26 and there have been 30 draws.

Derry are aiming to end a wretched run of results against Sligo. It is August 2009 since Derry last beat Sligo (a run of 16 matches), while you have to go all the way back to July 2007 for Derry's last victory over Sligo at the Brandywell, a 4-1 win that marked John Roberston's first game in charge.

BETTING

Derry City 21/10; Draw 11/5; Sligo Rovers 5/4

PREDICTION

Neither has lit the touchpaper yet this season and both are struggling for goals. At home, Derry are perhaps under the greater pressure in this one and, despite their recent record against Sligo, they have the necessary weapons in the cache. A narrow 1-0 win for Derry.

Derry City

Injured: Barry McNamee (calf), Patrick McEleney.
Doubtful: Ryan McBride, Barry Molloy.
Suspensions: None

Sligo Rovers

Injured: Gavin Peers (knee), Raffaele Cretaro (calf), Seamus Conneely (groin).
Doubtful: Danny North (toe).
Suspensions: None.