Reporting by Matt Keane
Zack Elbouzedi struck for the only goal as Waterford FC returned to winning ways in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division after securing victory against second from bottom side UCD in their clash played at the RSC on Friday night last.
After losing on the road to Finn Harps in their previous game and only managing a draw against Sligo Rovers in the game before, it was a big win for Alan Reynolds side as they dominated for long periods, but only had one goal to show for their efforts.
With the Blues set to go five weeks without a league game due to International Under 21 call-ups of Elbouzedi and Aaron Drinan, it was important that the Blues got something out of this game and although it wasn’t brilliant, it was all about the result.
It was UCD that started the game on the front foot with Neil Farrugia causing problems to the Blues defence and he created a chance for himself on 13 minutes when he took a pass from Gary O’Neill, but his shot was parried away by Matt Connor.
Farrugia got free out on the left-side sixty seconds later, but he couldn’t direct his shot on target before the same player took another pass from O’Neill on 17 minutes only to be denied by a fine Matt Connor as the Students took up the early running.
UCD defender Josh Collins came to his sides rescue twice in the space of five minutes when he firstly deflected a goalbound effort from Bastien Héry over the crossbar before he blocked a certain Blues goal when throwing his body in front of a Cory Galvin shot.
The only goal of the contest arrived on 36 minutes when the Blues broke quickly down the right-side that saw Rory Feely flick the ball into the path of Cory Galvin, who in turn picked out Zack Elbouzedi out on the left and he drilled a low left-footed shot to the far corner past a helpless Conor Kearns.
It has to be said that this goal settled Waterford and they should have doubled their lead two minutes later when Héry played the ball through for Cory Galvin, who found himself in space on the right-side of the penalty area, but he dragged his shot narrowly wide of the far post.
Galvin was denied a goal on 42 minutes when he took a pass from Bastien Héry on the edge of the penalty area and after turning onto his right-foot, his effort that looked destine for the bottom left-corner was tipped around the posts by Kearns.
JJ Lunney should have giving his side the added cushion of a second goal going into the second half when a fine Blues move saw Galvin and Héry combine down the right before the latter teed up the midfielder, but he blazed inches over the crossbar.
It was Cory Galvin that had the first chance of the second half on 53 minutes as he flashed a shot from the right-side of the area inches wide of the far post before Aaron Drinan went on a good run to set up Zack Elbouzedi soon afterwards, but his stunning strike was matched by an equally stunning Conor Kearns save.
UCD did create a couple of half chances to level the tie when Neil Farrugia got his head on the end of a Liam Scales cross on 72 minutes only for Connor to catch the ball underneath the bar before Conor Davis missed a big chance five minutes later when shooting straight at the keeper from close-range.
Izzy Akinade did have a chance to make sure of all three points for the Blues as the game entered injury time when he raced onto a pass from Aaron Drinan, but his low shot from the right-side of the penalty area was well kept out by Conor Kearns.
WATERFORD FC: Matt Connor, Rory Feely, Maxi Kouogun, Damien Delaney, Georgie Poynton, JJ Lunney, Karolis Chvedukas (Shane Griffin `89), Bastien Héry, Cory Galvin (Izzy Akinade `67), Zack Elbouzedi (Scott Twine `84), Aaron Drinan
UCD: Conor Kearns, Liam Scales, Josh Collins, Neil Farrugia, Gary O’Neill, Jason McClelland (Danu Bishop `87), Richie O’Farrell, Sean McDonald, Conor Davis (Yoyo Mahdy `78), Paul Doyle (Dara Keane `87), Evan Farrell
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick)
