Sligo Rovers welcome St Patrick’s Athletic to the Showgrounds this Saturday for what is our penultimate home game of the season, kick-off 7.45pm.
Rovers go into this weekend’s round of fixtures in seventh position, with five games to go and plenty yet to play for.
In team news, Ollie Denham is again the Bit O’Red’s only injury worry ahead of the visit of the Saints. The centre half continues to try and shake off a hip injury he sustained in the lead up to the Drogheda game last week.
Last Monday’s win in a tense Connacht derby with Galway United has lifted Rovers three points above the Tribesmen who now occupy the playoff position ahead of Friday’s games.
Rovers are along with Derry City, the Premier Division’s form team since the summer break back in June having taken 22 points from our last 13 outings.
Manager John Russell was delighted with his side’s victory by the Corrib and wants to push on as we meet this year’s final set of hurdles.
“The job is nowhere near done yet, but we’re happy with how the last week went”, the Rovers boss tells sligorovers.com
“We created the better of the chances against Drogheda, tested them more than they tested us. We were unfortunate to not get the win here, truth be told.
“Then we go to Galway and pick up the points in a real pressure game. A six-pointer, a big crowd and a game we needed to win. The players did really well to deal with the pressure that was on them.
“To a man, the players gave everything and put their bodies on the line when they had to. First half, we weren’t happy and we changed things around before the second half in which we did really well. We defended heroically when we had to and were a constant threat on the counter and could have had one or two more goals.”
Looking to Saturday, Russell is expecting a tough test against Stephen Kenny’s men who have won four of their last six and wants another big Showgrounds crowd backing his boys.
“It’ll be different to the Galway game in terms of what we’ll be up against. Pat’s like to draw you out. They’re patient and calculating in what they do and they have players all over their front six who can really hurt you.
“But we have tremendous belief in what we’re doing and we back ourselves in any two horse race. We’re at home so we’ll hopefully have a big crowd. The numbers we had in Galway really forced us across the line and we can multiply that on Saturday.
“We’re looking for everyone to get in well ahead of kick-off to make that big atmosphere we had against Drogheda. We only have two home games left and we really need to make the most of them.
“Every advantage we can get counts at this stage and every point we can pick up is huge.
“It’s so tight where we are in the league, but we’ve given ourselves that shot in the arm by putting ourselves ahead of the bottom three before Friday’s games. It’s in our hands at the moment and the players are doing and will do everything they can do to keep it that way.”
David Goulden