League Preview: Wexford -v- Athlone Town

WEXFORD

Wexford should be full of confidence going into Friday night’s First Division clash with bottom of the table Athlone Town at Ferrycarrig Park (kick off 7.45 pm).

Quite apart from the visitors’ poor form, Wexford have been having a positive season and although they lie just fifth in the table - and 9 points behind Longford in fourth - they have put in plenty of impressive performances, not all of which were rewarded with points.

In fact, Ian Ryan’s team are on a five match unbeaten run, a sequence that began with a thoroughly deserved draw away to title chasers, Cork City. Since then they have drawn with Treaty United and Bray Wanderers and beaten both Cobh Ramblers and Longford Town.

Much of Wexford’s success has been down to talismanic front man Jack Doherty who has formed an effective partnership with fellow striker Aaron Dobbs. Furthermore Wexford have veteran Dinny Corcoran to add their attacking mix should they need something extra.

Between them, this trio have netted 14 times for Wexford, while midfielder Conor Davis has also chipped in with another three.

Often playing a five-man defensive line, Wexford should perhaps be a little more solid at the back but just three clean sheets from 20 matches shows that they can be vulnerable.

Going simply on the stats you would have to favour Wexford to pick up their seventh win of the season on Friday, although, with Athlone showing signs of improving form in front of goal there remains just enough uncertainty to keep this fixture interesting.

ATHLONE TOWN

Athlone Town travel south to face Wexford on Friday night with the uncomfortable baggage of having so far lost every single one their away matches in 2022.

That’s nine successive defeats on the road for Dermot Lennon’s men, who enter this game rooted firmly to the bottom of the First Division table.

Nor will it help the Town’s morale that two of their away-day defeats came against this weekend’s opposition. Wexford beat the Midlanders 2-1 at Ferrycarrig Park back in early March, and ran out 3-0 winners at Lisseywollen when the teams met at the end of April.

But there is some good news for the Athlone faithful. Even if results remain unimpressive they have at least started to score goals. Having gone through April scoring just twice in six games they have since hit the net eight times in their last three outings, including an impressive 5-2 win over fellow strugglers Cobh Ramblers.

Whether or not Lennon can inspire his team to collect their first away points of the season will likely depend on the contributions of their front men.

Thomas Oluwa has scored four of Athlone’s last six goals and has a total of six for the season. But Carlton Ubaezuonu hasn’t played since hitting a brace against Cobh three weeks ago and third highest scorer, Glen McAuley, hasn’t hit the net since mid April.

Somehow Athlone are likely to have to outscore Wexford if they want to travel home with a positive result as defensively they haven’t performed well. They have failed to keep any clean sheets in 2022, and have limited their opponents to a single goal in just three of their 19 league games.

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan

MATCH STATS

There have been at least three goals in each of Athlone Town’s last seven matches.

Between them, Wexford and Athlone have conceded a whopping 81 goals so far this season

One year ago, on 2 July 2021, also at Ferrycarrig Park, Wexford and Athlone played out a 4-4 draw.

PREDICTION

Wexford  2-1  Athlone Town

Wexford

Injured: Not available.

Doubtful: Not available

Suspended: None.

Athlone Town

Injured: Not available.

Doubtful: Not available.

Suspended: None.