Bray Wanderers -v- Derry City

• Finbarr O'Sullivan
• Thu, Aug 27 2009


Bottom of the table Bray Wanderers take on fourth-place Derry City at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night.

Wanderers go into this game missing five first-team players. The trio of Dave Mulcahy, Daire Doyle and Stephen Brennan are all suspended while Paul Byrne and Shane O'Neill are absent through injury.

Bray boss Eddie Gormley was happy with his side's point in last week's clash with Sligo Rovers: "It was a good point in the end last week, coming from behind twice to earn the point, it wasn't our best performance of the season. Both sides were a little nervy and it was crucial we didn't lose, it means we now have gone threee games unbeaten." On the upcoming Derry game, he added: "It will be difficult on Friday with five first teamers missing. They are a very good side but the players will be going out to get a result."

The Candystripes will certainly be without the services of four players: ex-Seagull Clive Delaney is suspended, while Sammy Morrow (ankle), Liam Kearney (leg) and Mark McChrystal (cheek bone) will miss out through injury.

Despite a decent run of late, Derry manager Stephen Kenny is aware that Bray will prove a tough test on Friday: "The players showed good resolve and great team spirit to overcome St. Pats after being reduced to ten men for the majority of the game, it's never easy to win with ten men so it was a very good result for us. We've had two league wins in a row now with victories over Sligo and Pats and we would obviously like this form to continue. Bray, to their credit, are a tough team to beat, especially at home. They have plenty of energy and a few skillful players so we fully expect a hard match after a 1-1 draw there earlier this season."

The officials for this encounter will be: Damien Hancock (referee), D. Wogan (assistant), F. Cunningham (assistant) and Derek Tomney (fourth official). Kick-off is at 7.45pm.

Extratime.ie prediction: 1-1. Bray are on a three match unbeaten run and have had the upper hand in recent matches at the Carlisle Grounds against Derry. However, the Candystripes are not ones to be underestimated, having won their last away league game 4-0 in Sligo.