By Kevin Galvin
Waterford returned to winning ways in the SSE Airtricity First Division last night after a comfortable 4-0 defeat of Munster rivals Cobh Ramblers.
Goals from George Forrest in the 27th minute and Cian Kavanagh in the 44th set Ian Morris's side on their way before the break, while a brace on the far side of the interval by Phoenix Patterson after 52 minutes sealed an important three points at a chilly St Colman's Park.
It was Patterson who also struck the back of the net for the Blues' fourth goal just nine minutes later.
The Blues snatched a point from the jaws of defeat last week against Longford, following losses against Treaty United and Cork City.
They have now clawed some ground back on the Leesiders, and second-placed Galway with last night's confident win.
Both of Waterford's first-half goals came from set pieces on the right flank, with the first knocked back into Forrest's path from the back post by Kevin Joshua; Kavanagh's stopping header from a Junior Quitirna free-kick crept inside the far upright on the stroke of half-time.
Quitirna was provider for the third, too, which saw Patterson round Cobh netminder Andy O'Donoghue - who saw the speedy winger again finish into an empty net just minutes later, following a mistake from former Blues full-back John Kavanagh.
Ian Morris's charges could have added more, with sub Louis Britton spurning a great chance one-on-one with the 'keeper, but it didn't take the sheen off a victory as important as it was enjoyable for the visitors.
Speaking to WLR Sport following the victory, Morris said his side put on a good display, despite the unsatisfactory underfoot conditions:
"Yeah, I was happy with tonight but the pitch... asking anyone to try and play football on that pitch is scandalous.
"The second half there was a bit of moisture or a bit of dew on the ground, which allowed the ball to roll a little bit better - that's a little.
"But the first half for both teams, the ball couldn't roll through at all and you're asking lads to move it quickly and it's bobbling everywhere but look, we stuck to our task.
"In games like that you have to be professional, you have to defend well, you have to take chances when they come, and we did that tonight."
Next up, Waterford welcome Galway United to the RSC on Friday (April 15th), while there's a quick turnaround after that for their clash with Cork City on the following Monday (April 18th), also at home.
Morris says it's great to be facing into those games with an emphatic win like this behind them:
"It gives us good momentum going into a weekend with two big games.
"But we blew Galway away [last time] in the first half and then two errors from us hurt us and the same in Cork.
"If you watch four of those goals back, it's not great viewing but we'll be ok. We're looking forward to it."
