John Russell has called on Sligo Rovers supporters to continue to back his team as the Bit O’Red face into a crucial few weeks with just eight league games remaining.
Rovers face Bohemians on Saturday next, August 30th at the Showgrounds and Russell has called on the Sligo sporting public to arrive on Church Hill in droves to back their team once again.
Three wins in the last five outings in all competitions sees Rovers just one point off Galway United in eighth following Friday night’s results. While Rovers fans are also looking forward to a first ever visit to Kerry to take the home side in a much-anticipated FAI Cup quarter-final next month.
“Our supporters have been amazing this year, both home and away”, Russell told LOITV after Friday’s spirited defeat of Waterford at the RSC.
“At home, the crowds are getting bigger and I think they really believe in this group and want to back them as much as they can. As a supporter and for a community club like Sligo Rovers, you want your players giving everything and that’s what they’re doing. We need them now for the last eight games.
“There’s so much ball to be played yet. We’re still ninth and we cannot forget that. We’ve put a lot of points on the board recently but there’s such a long way to go yet, so we need to stay focused.”
Conan Noonan had given John Coleman and Danny Ventre’s lads the lead in Waterford. But second half goals from the energetic Jad Hakiki and the ever-impressive Owen Elding moved Rovers ten points clear of basement side Cork City heading into a tough game with Bohs this weekend.
“They have players everywhere that can hurt you and I’m sure there will be a backlash after us beating them in the cup”, Russell said of next weekend’s visitors.
“We have to re-group now but we’re already looking forward to the game.”
On the win at the RSC, Russell praised the work-rate of his team having fallen behind to that Noonan strike.
“It’s a massive three points”, he continued.
“I thought we caused Waterford a lot of problems early on but couldn’t get that goal when we were on top.
“But when you’re away from home against a team like Waterford, with threat from the likes of Padraig Amond, Conan Noonan and Tommy Lonergan, you expect them to have spells and they did.
“But the pleasing thing for me and we showed this in Cork when we were behind, was that we stayed calm and we played the way we are built to play. We controlled the game in the second half and we grew as the game went on.
“Jad gets us level and we were in the ascendancy after that.
“Our front four, they weren’t just about the goals. They worked so hard all night on and off the ball. Look at Owen, he’s scored the goal and then he’s back defending in our box with two minutes to go and that’s because he wants to win!”
David Goulden