Mid Season Report Card - Bray Wanderers

Club: Bray Wanderers

Manager: Trevor Croly

Stadium: The Carlisle Grounds

Highest attendance this season: 1,200 (est) v Shamrock Rovers

Highest league goalscorer: David Cassidy 6

Mid Season Position: 11^th

 

How we thought they would do

Extratime.ie pundits predicted that Bray Wanderers would prop up the League of Ireland Premier Division come the end of the season. Indeed, more than half of the panel expected The Seagulls to finish twelfth.  Alan Mathews started the season in charge of the Wicklow outfit but off-field issues and poor form on the pitch led to Trevor Croly taking the reins in mid-May.

How they really have done

A terrible start of five league defeats on the trot seemed to confirm our panel’s idea that Bray would finally slip through the trap door to Division One in October. But, with Alan Mathews on ‘gardening leave’ and Polish caretaker manager Maciej Tarnogrodzki in charge, Bray upset the form book with two huge wins away at Sligo and home to fellow strugglers Limerick. This was followed by a good away draw in Derry with things all of sudden starting to look up. The renaissance was short lived though as Bray shipped 17 goals in the next three games.

Shortly afterwards the board brought Croly in and things have started to look up again. Another string of three good results, including a 1-0 home win versus St. Patrick’s Athletic in the Carlisle Grounds, have moved Bray away from Limerick and closer to The Bit O’Red in the Premier Division table.

The Wicklow men have booked themselves into the FAI Cup third round and will be dreaming of some 1999 histrionics with plenty of minnows left in the competition. That remains their only hope of a trophy this season having been knocked out of the League Cup in the first round.

 

Moment of the season so far

The 4-0 win at home to fellow strugglers Limerick will have confirmed two things for the Bray faithful. It showed there is life in the side, which had beaten Sligo Rovers 3-1 the previous week, and it also put space between themselves and Limerick in the automatic relegation spot.

Star Player  - David Cassidy

With six league goals to his name Cassidy has provided the goals helping to keep The Seagulls afloat. His hatrick in The Showgrounds gave Bray their first league win against a side who now look like relegation rivals and will no doubt have been a personal highlight of the season so far.

Young Player - Chris Lyons

Chris Lyons, who joined from UCD in the off-season has led the line and chipped in with some important goals so far this season. His quick fire brace versus Limerick in the FAI Cup secured their passage to the third round.

Star Signing - Ryan McEvoy

Their star signing could be Damien Duff – Trevor Croly has expressed his interest in bringing the Ireland international in should he be interested and available. He is yet to sign though but Ryan McEvoy has impressed from midfield having joined the club from Bohemians in the winter. He has chipped with the odd goal and contributes to much of Bray’s positive attacking play when they get forward.

What they need to do in the transfer market

With 31 goals conceded you would expect Croly to be in the market for a defender or two should there be funds available to boost the squad. If they can sure up the defence they could press on and score more goals as they get goals from all over the park.

Where we see them finishing

Trevor Croly has had a good start as the new manager and whilst Bray had some poor results in the first half of season, the score lines didn’t necessarily always tell the full story. The defeat to Pats in Inchicore could have been 4-4 had Bray taken their early chances and not had a goal chalked off, to name an example.

Expect Bray to consolidate this mid season form with a stronger finish to the season and a cup run. I expect them to catch Sligo and pip them to tenth, avoiding the end of season play-off lottery.

Don't forget this week's Extratime.ie Sportscast, featuring Liam Kearney, Simon Madden, Richie Towell and Collie O'Neill, is available here. You can also listen to the Extratime.ie Sportscast European Special here.