Waterford FC 4 Drogheda United 2
Podge Amond was the Waterford FC hat-trick hero as the Blues came from two down to secure all three points against Drogheda United in a pulsating SSE Airtricity Premier Division game at the RSC.
Keith Long made three changes to the side that started against Shelbourne with Kasper Radkowski ruled out after a late fitness test while Dean McMenamy and Connor Parsons dropped to the bench with Harvey McAdam, Christie Pattisson and Ben McCormack all starting.
The Blues were forced into an early change on five minutes when McAdam picked up and injury so McMenamy came into the side.
The home side did have an early chance when Ben McCormack looped a ball behind the defence for Maleace Aasamoah but the Drogheda goalkeeper Andy Wogan came out to clear his line.
Another good move on seventeen minutes saw Robbie McCourt send Asamoah away down the left but he elected to shoot rather than cross the ball for Podge Amond who was well placed inside the six yard box.
The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes when a long kick out from Wogan was left by the defence who did not see Adam Foley coming in from the right and he had the simple task of lifting the ball over the advancing Sam Sargeant.
Foley nearly headed a Ben McCormack free kick into his own net four minutes later and from the resulting corner Evan Weir headed off the line from Amond and then Asamoah fired over.
The Blues were rocked inside 30 seconds of the restart when Foley found Steve Bawa and he curled a wonderful effort into the top right hand corner.
Amond gave Waterford a lifeline on 55' when he met a perfect delivery from McCormack and headed past Wogan at the near post and the sides were level four minutes later when McCormack headed the ball into space for Asamoah to run on to before slipping the ball square to Amond who tapped home for his second of the evening.
Amond then put the Blues ahead with his hat-trick on 68 minutes after a McCormack free kick was cleared into the path of Dean McMenamy who fired goalward and it was deflected into the net by the veteran striker.
And Darragh Power scored his first of the season on 74 minutes when the Drogheda defence failed to clear the ball from the six yard box.
For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.
