Sligo Rovers host one of the Premier Division’s form teams this Saturday evening as Derry City visit the Showgrounds for the second time this season.
The Candystripes are on a blistering run of form with four wins and a draw from their last five games as Tiernan Lynch’s outfit take on a Bit O’Red side on a decent run of their own.
With eight points from their last five games, Rovers will look to further close the gap between themselves and eighth place Waterford who sit seven points above Rovers before the weekend.
In team news, Rovers will again be without the suspended John Mahon for the third game running. The captain has two of a four game suspension yet to serve.
Ronan Manning and Oskar Van Hattum returned to training this week after sustaining injuries recently, but both are doubtful to make Saturday’s game.
John Russell has an otherwise fully fit squad to choose from.
Saturday sees Rovers attempt to pick up their first points against City this year. In form Michael Duffy scored the only goal of the game in Sligo in the first of the meetings between the clubs back in March. While City were the winners at the Brandywell in April, running out winners by three goals to nil.
Speaking to sligorovers.com, Russell says he is delighted with recent form but has urged his squad to keep improving as the important games, in both league and cup continue.
“Like our recent game against Shamrock Rovers, we are facing a team in Derry who are in form and extremely strong”, he says.
“They too can change any game with a substitution given the strength of their bench and the resources they have available. They put seven past Waterford last week so we’re facing a side in red hot form and no doubt they’ll come to Sligo looking for a win.
“But we know our own strengths and again we’ll look to maximise them and impose our own ideas on things. I’ve been very happy with how things have gone since the break but we’re also looking for further improvement and the players know that.
“The football we played against Shams in the first half was some of the best we’ve played all season and we’ll look to do that again on Saturday. Supporters are getting their money’s worth here in Sligo and we’re enjoying our football and we’re pushing ourselves to improve even more. We were disappointed to draw against, for me, the best team in the league so that says something.
“We’re in a good place at the moment but we want to raise our levels even more and that’s the challenge we’ve posed to the players. We have to keep moving forward.”
Russell haso also praised his new signings, saying:
“They’ve all been brilliant and they all made an impact against Shams.
“As with the rest of the squad, we want them to raise their levels too.
“They all slotted in very well and a lot of that is down to the condition they’ve come here in. Seb Quirk has been training with us for a while so he’s getting up to speed. He’s shown his physicality against one of the best midfields in the country last weekend and matched the pace of the game straight away.
“James McManus and Ryan O’Kane have half a season in them and come here in top shape. While Paddy McClean is out of season, but didn’t look tired after 90 minutes plus against Shams.”
David Goulden