The Blues fell to their first home-defeat of the season, as Sligo Rovers emerged victorious in their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash at the RSC by a single goal-to-nil.
In-front of a crowd of over 2,750 supporters in attendance at the RSC, both sides shared possession in the early exchanges of the game looking to prod their way behind the opposing defences.
The first chance of the game fell to the Blues, when Niall O’Keeffe’s inch-perfect lofted ball into the Sligo penalty area was headed narrowly over by the oncoming Maleace Asamoah.
It was Asamoah once more who was causing the main danger for the Blues down our left-wing, when Rowan McDonald found the winger on the left-hand channel who took on his man before firing a dangerous cross across the Sligo box on 22 minutes that was cleared out for a Blues corner.
Moments later, on the other wing, Connor Parsons got beyond Hutchinson before delivering a ball into the Sligo box which narrowly missed the head of Padraig Amond who was lurking at the back post.
Asamoah & Ryan Burke both had half-chances on the half-hour mark, before Grant Horton saw his powerful header tipped around the Sligo front-post by Ed McGinty as the Blues continued to threaten the visitors goal.
Neither side could find that opener in the first-half, before the visitors took the lead just seven minutes into the second-half through Ellis Chapman.
A long Ed McGinty goal-kick was touched down by Max Mata who fed the ball to the oncoming Chapman 30-yards out, who progressed with the ball before firing beyond Sam Sargeant to give John Russell’s side the lead at the RSC.
Hartmann threaten the Blues goal just after the hour mark, forcing Sargeant into a low-save – moments after Sligo defender Oliver Denham was shown a yellow-card after pulling-back the jersey of Maleace Asamoah deep inside the Sligo half when it looked like Denham was denying a goal-scoring opportunity, much to the frustration of the large home support.
The visitors were then reduced to 10-men with fifteen minutes remaining, when Simon Power was shown his marching orders.
The Blues took control of possession for the remaining minutes, as the visitors soaked up the pressure.
Substitute Dean McMenamy twice came close for the Blues – first firing an effort into the hands of McGinty from 25-yards, before seeing his glancing header in injury-time fly inches wide of the Sligo back-post, as the Bit o’Red saw out the remaining minutes to pick up the points.
A tough night for the Blues, who must dust themselves down before quickly returning to action this coming East Monday as Shamrock Rovers make the journey to the RSC in a 5pm kick-off. Tickets for the game remain on sale HERE.
Waterford FC: Sargeant; Power, Horton, Radkowski (70′ Pattisson), Leahy (C) (85′ Evans), Burke; O’Keeffe (70′ McCormack), McDonald; Parsons, Amond, Asamoah (70′ McMenamy).
Sligo Rovers FC: McGinty, Hutchinson, Chapman (65′ Barlow), Wiggett, Morahan, Hartmann (65′ Fitzgerald), Denham, Mata (65′ Waweru), Power, Malley, Pijnaker.
Attendance: 2,751.
