League Preview: Longford Town -v- Wexford FC

Longford Town will host struggling Wexford in what promises to be an intriguing clash in the SSE Airtricity First Division at the City Calling Stadium on Saturday evening (kick-off 7.30pm).

LONGFORD TOWN

De Town will look to get their league campaign back on track when they take on the challenge of Wexford. Longford Town were on the wrong side of a 1-0 score line at the hands of league leaders Waterford at the Regional Sports Centre last Friday night with Derek Daly grabbing the winner in the 12^th minute.

Longford Town have been struggling lately in the SSE Airtricity First Division having managed only one win in their last 5 matches. The solitary win came in a 3-1 victory over Athlone Town at the City Calling Stadium with a draw against Cabinteely away (0-0) and defeats to Waterford, UCD and Cobh Ramblers respectively.

The sequence of results has culminated in Longford sitting in 6^th place in the SSE Airtricity First Division on 13 points ahead of Athlone Town on goal difference and in desperate need of 3 points to foster any remaining ambitions to challenge for the coveted promotion place.

Longford Town boss Alan Mathews has his squad decimated with a plethora of injuries and will be without the services of already crocked trio Davy O’Sullivan, Cody Mulhall and Don Cowan. Enda Curran and Mark Langtry join them on the treatment table after sustaining injuries in the defeat to Waterford and Noel Haverty returned to training this week but not in time to be included in the squad.

WEXFORD

Wexford make the trip to the Midlands to face Longford Town with aspirations of taking all three points back to the South East with them. Wexford finally ended their winless hoodoo in the SSE Airtricity First Division and made it lucky 13 last Friday night with a Thomas Croke strike on 4 minutes being enough to see off Shelbourne 1-0 at Ferrycarrig Park.

Wexford had made a woeful start to their league campaign having failed to register a win in their 12 league matches with 4 draws and 8 defeats which saw them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table in the SSE Airtricity First Division.

Wexford boss Damien Locke was understandably in buoyant mood but felt that their first win was just around the corner telling www.wexfordfc.ie, “We’ve played really well in recent weeks, and it was only a matter of time before the win came. We hope that we can kick on now, and get another few wins on the board”.

Wexford boss Locke has a few injury concerns ahead of the trip to Longford with Shane Dunne and Adam Hanlon unavailable through injury and Ricky Fox will be absent with a suspension have collected his fifth booking of the season last Friday evening.

Referee: David Berry

MATCH FACTS

Longford Town and Wexford have met once already this season in the SSE Airtricity First Division with the game ending all square in a 0-0 draw at Ferrycarrig Park.

In the 3 meetings last season in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division Longford won their first meeting 2-0 away with Wexford winning the 2 remaining league games (2-4 and 2-0).

The sides have played each other 31 times competitively since 2008 with Longford winning 16 matches, Wexford winning 8 times with 7 draws.

Longford scored 46 goals with an average of 1.48 per game while Wexford scored 34 goals averaging 1.1 per game.

BETTING

Longford Town 4/6 Draw 13/5 Wexford 4/1

PREDICTION

Longford Town 2-1 Wexford

Longford Town

Injured: Davy O’Sullivan, Cody Mulhall, Don Cowan, Enda Curran, Mark Langtry

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Wexford

Injured: Shane Dunne, Adam Hanlon

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Ricky Fox