League Preview: Bray Wanderers - v - Derry City

BRAY WANDERERS

Bray will be disappointed with their start to the 2016 despite it being a tough one. The Seagulls were soaring high following a great back end to last season and a positive winter but they have crash-landed so far in March.

With seven goals conceded and only one scored, Mick Cooke will be hoping that his men can turn that statistic around sooner rather than later.

An own goal and an injury shortly afterwards which left Bray with only 10 men, gave Galway the impetus on Friday.

The Wicklow men will hope they can turn their luck around against a Derry side who picked up a good 1-0 home win against Cork City of Friday night.

 

DERRY CITY

Derry went into the 2016 season as one of the favourites to play out a relegation battle. Their surprise victory against Cork on Friday night though will have warmed the hearts of the Candystripes faithful.

They will come down to Wicklow looking for another crucial three points against a Bray team they will no doubt view as a direct rival for survival.

The former Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels, will be hoping Friday’s performance can be repeated in Bray and that City can prove their critics wrong.

Reflecting on their performance post-match on Friday, Shiels told derrycity.net “(We) had to master the conditions and it wasn’t necessarily about the pretty football, it was about getting a performance.

“We played a bit shorter in the second half, they are very strong and we couldn’t get time to settle, but once we get better those combinations will come.  I’m a great believer in playing football that way.”

Pressed on the performance of the 19-year-old match winner Ronan Curtis, Shiels had praise for the young striker but believed that all the players had a good game.

“The second half was much better for quality and ball retention but we need to add quality to that. Performance was good and the work rate was good so they deserve credit but we can’t stand still, we need to add to that.”

Referee: Robert Harvey

MATCH FACTS

Bray have already conceded three more goals than anyone else in this year’s League of Ireland Premier Division having shipped seven goals already in just two games.
 

The three encounters last season produced a meager five goals.
 

In the last ten games at the Carlisle Grounds the recent record reads vive wins for Derry, four draws and just one defeat.  
 

BETTING

Bray 7/4; Draw 21/10; Derry 6/4

 

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 1-1 Derry City
 

Bray Wanderers
Injured: None
Doubtful: Sean Harding, Dean Kelly, Conor Kenna
Suspensions: None
 

Derry City
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspensions: None