Blues gain a point in Sligo

Phoenix Patterson scored another crucial goal as Waterford FC came from behind to pick up a point on the road as the Blues played out a 1-1 draw with third placed Sligo Rovers in their SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening last.

The result leaves the Blues still sitting in the relegation playoff spot, two points off Dundalk, four points off Finn Harps, and four points off Drogheda United, with seven games remaining in the season as the race for survival, begins to hot up.

Niall Morahan sent in a dangerous right-wing cross for Sligo on seven minutes looking for Andre Wright, but defender Darragh Power got in a timely intervention to clear the danger under pressure from the striker that saw the referee awarded a free to the Blues.

Garry Buckley picked out the run of Johnny Kenny out on the left-side on 13 minutes, but his first touch let him down as the ball ran out for a goal kick, before the Blues had a couple of half-chances to go in front at the other end six minutes later.

Junior Quitirna turned superbly well onto his left-foot 20-yards from goal, but his well-struck shot that took a deflection off Buckley was well saved by Sligo keeper Ed McGinty.

Phoenix Patterson took possession of the ball in the centre of the area on 21 minutes, but his shot was wide of the right-hand post before Ryan DeVries set up Lewis Banks at the other end on the half-hour mark, but his shot went wide of Brian Murphy’s left-hand post.

The home side took advantage of a poor refereeing decision from John McLoughlin that gave them the lead goal on 42 minutes when Patterson was fouled out on the right, but the whistle wasn’t forthcoming from the Roscommon official.

When Adam McDonnell linked up with Greg Bolger from the breaking ball, he crossed to the back post where Johnny Kenny headed back across goal for Andre Wright to tap home from close-range with keeper Murphy out of possession.

BIG GOAL

After netting the winning goal against Drogheda the week previous, it was Phoenix Patterson that started and finished the move that saw Waterford level on 49 minutes when he set up Prince Mutswunguma before receiving the return pass down the left, and he drilled a left-footed shot to the far corner past Ed McGinty.

There was a half chance for Sligo attacker Johnny Kenny on 70 minutes when he got free down the left-side, but he fired into the side netting

Waterford did well down the left-side on the hour mark when Patterson picked out the run of Jack Stafford, who replaced Shane Griffin, but keeper McGinty dealt with the danger, before Sligo attacker Johnny Kenny had a half chance on 70 minutes when he got free down the left-side, but he fired into the side netting.

Goalscorer Phoenix Patterson did well down the left-side sixty seconds later when picking out to the run of Prince Mutswunguma, but his teasing ball into the penalty area was just missed by Junior Quitirna as the hosts cleared their lines.

Former Blues player Robbie McCourt nearly put the ball through his own net to give Waterford the lead in the final minute of the contest when Phoenix Patterson got free down the left-side before putting in a shot to the near post, and the clearance from the defender just went wide for a corner that was easily cleared.

SLIGO ROVERS: Ed McGinty, Lewis Banks, Colm Horgan, Robbie McCourt, Greg Bolger, Niall Morahan (Mark Burns ’90), Adam McDonnell, Garry Buckley, Ryan DeVries, Johnny Kenny (Walter Figueira ’80), Andre Wright.

WATERFORD FC: Brian Murphy, Darragh Power, Kyle Ferguson, Eddie Nolan, Cameron Evans, Shane Griffin (Jack Stafford ’47), Anthony Wordsworth, Niall O’Keeffe, Junior Quitirna, Prince Mutswunguma, Phoenix Patterson.

Referee: John McLoughlin (Roscommon).