Sligo Rovers 2
Waterford FC 0
Jessica Farry reports from The Showgrounds
SLIGO ROVERS PICKED up a huge win in the battle for Europe as they were 2-0 winners over Waterford at The Showgrounds on Saturday night.
That win moves John Russell’s men into third place, with Waterford remaining in fifth place.
Galway’s win on Friday night against Derry City took John Caulfield’s side into third spot, but both Sligo and Waterford knew a win for either of them would move them ahead of Galway and into third.
Sligo came into this tie as the league’s form team, despite last weekend’s 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Drogheda United.
Waterford, on the other hand, have struggled for form in recent weeks, losing four of their last five league games.
But, Keith Long’s side almost took the lead early on when Ryan Burke’s cross from the left came to Christie Pattison, but the former Maidestone man, who is enjoying his best goalscoring season, couldn’t gather his feet in time and fumbled the effort.
The hosts soon found their rhythm and enjoyed a spell of possession inside the Waterford half.
Simon Power and Ellis Chapman both caused Waterford some nervous moments at the back, but it was Waweru who had the home crowd on their feet after 19 minutes.
Will Fitzgerald’s cross from the right was nodded on by Connor Malley, and while the home side had cause to complain about a potential handball in the box, Waweru latched onto a loose ball and fired into the net with his sixth of the season.
It was almost 2-0 before half-time, with Waterford’s on loan goalkeeper Louis Jones getting in the way of Ellis Chapman’s shot to deny the hosts a second, as Simon Power’s follow up was cleared off the line.
A brilliant save from Jones denied Sligo a second shortly after the restart, but the hosts did get their second on 73 minutes.
Will Fitzgerald’s inch perfect cross fell to the unmarked Simon Power who nodded past Jones to double his side’s advantage.
A brilliant block from Kacper Radkowski ensured Ellis Chapman didn’t add a third late on, as Keith Long’s side struggled to trouble their opponents back five.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson, Gareth McElroy, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (Jack Henry-Francis 88), Connor Malley; Will Fitzgerald, Ellis Chapman, Simon Power (Stephen Mallon 77); Wilson Waweru (Luke Pearce 64).
Waterford: Louis Jones; Darragh Power (Dean McMenamy HT), Kacper Radkowski, Darragh Leahy, Ryan Burke; Barry Bagley, Sam Glenfield (Grant Horton HT), Rowan McDonald (Ben McCormack 81); Conor Parsons (Joseph Forde 71), Christie Pattisson (Gbemi Arubi 71); Padraig Amond.
Referee: Paul Norton.