League Preview: Sligo Rovers -v- Bray Wanderers

• Dave Donnelly
• Mon, Apr 30 2018




SLIGO ROVERS

Sligo Rovers host Bray Wanderers at the Showgrounds on Monday night in what could be a pivotal game for both clubs (kick-off 7.45pm).

Gerard Lyttle’s side came away from the RSC on Friday night with a hard-earned point – the first club to avoid defeat in Waterford this season.

Raff Cretaro equalized for the Bit o’ Red on the stroke of half time after an own goal from Kyle Callan-McFadden put Waterford in front.

Callan-McFadden was sent off midway through the second half but the visitors hung on for a point.

“Bray’s performances have been decent in the last few weeks,” Lyttle told the club’s official website.

“They got the win against Shamrock Rovers but the rest of the display have been much improved and sometimes when you’re at the foot of the table you will lose by a goal and things will not go your way.

“We don’t go into the game with a mindset of this is a game that can be a banker – it’s going to be really difficult and we have to keep improving our focus, work-rate and get better.

“It’s difficult when you have such a run of fixtures and you carry three suspensions and a couple of injury doubts. We’ve done all we can to recover from Friday.

“The Friday-Monday scenarios should be limited as much as possible – it doesn’t make much sense – and Bray have to travel to Sligo on a Monday night as well.

“We hope our supporters come out and get behind us and we produce we result we all want.”

Callan-McFadden, David Cawley and Adam Morgan are all suspended, while Micheál Schlingermann is injured. Patrick McClean and Gary Boylan are both doubtful.

 

BRAY WANDERERS

Bray Wanderers slipped further behind in the race to avoid relegation as they lost 1-0 to Limerick at the Carlisle Grounds.

Limerick captain Shane Duggan scored the decisive goal early in the second half after Gary McCabe had uncharacteristically missed a penalty.

Defender Kevin Lynch hit the bar twice as the Seagulls searched for an equaliser, but the result leaves them nine points off the pace at the bottom.

With former Limerick boss Martin Russell set to take over tomorrow, caretaker manager Graham Kelly takes charge of the side for the final time.

“I thought it was a good enough performance,” Kelly told extratime.ie of the defeat to Limerick.

“I think it wasn't the same as the previous two games, but overall I think we did control the game. We created the clearer chances but you've got to take them at this level.

“Sligo play some really good football and they'll have a really good crowd behind them on Monday evening.

“But if we put in the performance we have been putting in, and if we can take that into Monday, then hopefully we can get something out of the game.

“There's a lot of football to be played and there's a lot of points up for grabs. If we can keep going and keep within touching distance, that's what we've got to do.”

Kelly may have defender Darragh Gibbons back but Aaron Greene, Darragh Noone and Jake Kelly are all long-term absentees, while John Sullivan also missed out.

 

Referee: Robert Hennessey

 

MATCH STATS

The first meeting between the sides this season at the Carlisle Grounds saw Sligo run out 2-1 winners thanks to a first-half brace from Caolan McAleer.

The two met three times in the league last season, with the struggling Bit o’ Red surprisingly going without defeat in those games.

The sides drew home and away over the summer after Kieran Sadlier sealed a 3-2 win at the Showgrounds in March.

 

BETTING

Sligo Rovers 4/6; Draw 9/4; Bray Wanderers 21/5.

PREDICTION

Sligo Rovers 0 – 0 Bray Wanderers

 

Sligo Rovers

Injured: Micheál Schlingermann.

Doubtful: Gary Boylan, Patrick McClean.

Suspended: Kyle Callan-McFadden, David Cawley, Adam Morgan.

 

Bray Wanderers

Injured: Aaron Greene (knee), Darragh Gibbons (foot), Jake Kelly (foot), John Sullivan.

Doubtful: Darragh Gibbons.

Suspended: None.