The Blues fell to defeat on Saturday night to Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds in their latest SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash.
Christie Pattisson had a big chance to put Waterford in front inside two minutes when Ryan Burke sent in a ball from the left that broke to Padraig Amond, who saw his shot saved by Ed McGinty, but the winger couldn’t follow up from close range.
The home side settled well into the contest, and they went close to the lead goal on 12 minutes when Simon Power stepped over a free-kick out on the left after a Darragh Power foul, but Ellis Chapman’s glancing header whistled wide of the far post.
It was Chapman that took a pass from former Blue Will Fitzgerald out on the left three minutes later only for his well-struck right-footed curling effort go just wide of Louis Jones’ far post.
There was a chance for the Blues to break the deadlock when Burke sent over a left-wing cross for Padraig Amond, but his header back across goal just wide the wrong side of McGinty’s upright.
The home side got the opening goal sixty seconds later from a set piece. Fitzgerald sent over a corner that was headed goal-wards by Connor Malley, but after his header was saved by Jones, Wilson Waweru blasted the ball to the roof of the net.
Chapman went close to doubling the lead on 42 minutes when he shot straight at Jones, but the Blues netminder produced a top class save to deny the same player a second goal deep into first-half added-time.
The midfielder, who scored the winning goal when the two teams met at the RSC earlier in the season, burst through the centre before cracking in a left-footed shot that was kept out with Simon Power’s rebound header cleared off the line by Darragh Leahy.
Simon Power was again in the thick of the action when he sent in another cross that found the head of goalscorer Wilson Waweru inside the six-yard box, but his point-blank header was superbly kept out by keeper Louis Jones.
Simon Power’s well-struck shot from a neat interchange between Ellis Chapman and Niall Morahan was well saved by netminder Jones on the hour mark, but it wasn’t long before Sligo added a second goal.
Fitzgerald was again the provider as he found space for himself down the left-side to cross to the back post where Power was on hand to power a header past Louis Jones.
Sligo Rovers FC: McGinty; Wilson, Denham, McElroy, Hutchinson; Morahan (88′ Henry-Francis), Malley; Power (77′ Mallon), Chapman, Fitzgerald; Waweru (64′ Pearce).
Waterford FC: Jones; Power (46′ Horton), Leahy, Radkowski, Burke; McDonald (81′ McCormack), Crowe-Baggley, Glenfield (46′ McMenamy); Parsons (71′ Forde), Amond, Pattisson (71′ Arubi)
Attendance: 2,432.
