The Blues host Wexford at the RSC this evening as they run into the end of the season catches fire.
Sitting second in the table and ten points clear of third-placed Cobh, the Blues know that they will need to put a few more winning results on the board to guarantee their current standing for the playoffs.
Previous Meetings.
The Blues have won two of the three meetings between the sides so far this season with both of those victories coming at Ferrycarrig Park (3-0, Feb 17th & 1-0 7th August).
The Yellowbellies returned the favour on their opening day home loss, beating Waterford at the RSC back in May (1-0, 1st May).
Recent Form.
In their last ten outings, Waterford have won five (Longford, Finn Harps, Bray, Wexford & Kerry), drawn three (Treaty United, Galway & Athlone) and lost two (Cobh Ramblers & Athlone).
Wexford meanwhile have won 7 (Bray x 2, Treaty United x 2, Kerry, Athlone & Longford), drawn two (Finn Harps & Cobh Ramblers) and lost one (Waterford).
James Keddy's side have averaged 1.8 goals per game in there last ten outings, keeping a clean sheet in four of those games.
The Blues offer the same goal-scoring average but have gotten there in a very different manner with a more boom-or-bust approach. They have kept a clean sheet in five of those ten.
Nearing the end.
The playoffs - which have been looming for some time - are now fast approaching and the management team are hoping that they can build some positive form leading into the knockout stages.
"We've got four games to go and what we want to have a little momentum coming into the playoffs," says First Team Coach Gary Hunt, adding that "we want to use these games as opportunities to get good performances and get good results."
The club have been boosted by the returning services of several key players as they near the crunch games. Ronan Coughlan, Barry Baggeley, Daragh Power and Shane Griffin are all once again in full training and available for selection.
"It's really good and really refreshing to see the group become more full in training week on week, so when the playoffs do come around, we'll hopefully have a full squad to pick from," Hunt told WLR Sport.
The playoff run has been well debated and analysed. It's a tough road for promotion hopefuls with four games standing between them and a place in the Premier Division for 2024.
It did not go Waterford's way last year when they lost to UCD in the promotion/relegation final, and in 2021 the Blues were again on the wrong end of the result when they lost to UCD to deny their hopes of returning to the Premier at the first time of asking.
"The playoff is a unique kind of format in terms of second will play fifth and third will play fourth. At the moment Wexford are in fourth position after their win last Monday night. I suppose the way it's looking at the moment we'll play Athlone. Will that change? Who knows, we'll just be ready for wherever we finish and whoever we have to come up against, we'll put our game plan in place for that two-legged game and hopefully that will take us to the next stage."
