League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Wexford

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BRAY WANDERERS

The Wicklow side will welcome Wexford to the Carlisle Grounds on Friday and will hope their unbeaten run this season will not come to an end.

Bray have not lost in all seven fixtures so far in 2023, with their opponents undefeated in the last three games.

Manager Ian Ryan is hopeful that their good form can continue, with a Leinster Cup semi-final against Usher Celtic on the horizon also.

He said: “There is belief within the squad. You can’t buy that. Our mentality is one game at a time. That’s the simple approach.”

The side came from 2-0 down to draw level with Waterford at the RSC last week.

The former Wexford manager will meet the side for the first time since leaving in the off-season, and is expected to have a near full squad available for the meeting.

WEXFORD

Wexford make the short journey up to the Carlisle Grounds and will meet plenty of familiar faces in this important clash.

Currently sitting sixth in the table with seven points acquired, Wexford are now just 3 points off second place and can overtake their opponents with a win.



 

The side will most likely to be without Conor Levingston and Aaron Robinson again due to injury, but James Keddy will have been content with performances from Darragh Levingston and Aaron Doran, who came into the side last week and played well in their 2-1 win over Kerry.

 

Brandon McCann will be another threat for the Seagulls, after scoring last Friday and being named in the First Division Team of the Week.

Referee: Gavin Colfer

 



MATCH STATS

The pair didn’t produce the most entertaining football in their meetings last season, with three of the four fixtures ending in a draw.

Their first clash in March was a stalemate at the Carlisle Grounds before they produced a 1-1 draw in Ferrycarrig in May.

Wexford’s 2022 player of the season, Harry Groome, was on the scoresheet but lines out for the opposition this time around.

Ben Feeney hit the back of the net for Bray and remains in their squad for 2023, scoring two league goals in the campaign so far.

Darragh Levingston missed a penalty for the visitors with two minutes to play, before joining Wexford shortly afterwards.

Levingston made his first senior start for the club last week against Kerry at Ferrycarrig Park and produced a man of the match performance at the back.

The third contest between both teams came a month later with a 2-2 draw in Bray.

Paul Fox and Darragh Lynch were on the scoresheet for the home side, with Wexford’s 2022 top scorer Aaron Dobbs and Karl Manahan on target for the visitors.

The final meeting was much more entertaining and the three points were claimed by Wexford following a 4-2 victory.

Goals from Dobbs, Jack Doherty, Len O’Sullivan and Conor Davis helped Wexford in their push for the play-offs, with the latter two now lining out for Bray.

Hugh Douglas and Evan Harte were on the scoresheet for the Seagulls - Douglas now in the heart of the defence for Wexford.

The Slaneysiders finished the campaign 14 points ahead of Bray in the table, sixth and seventh respectively.

BETTING

Bray 21/20; Draw 9/4; Wexford 11/5

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 2 - 1 Wexford

 

Bray Wanderers

Injured: N/A

Doubtful: N/A

Suspended: None

 

Wexford

Injured: Conor Levingston, Aaron Robinson

Doubtful: N/A

Suspended: None

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