Buckley woe as unbeaten run is ended

THERE were many words (most of them blunt expletives) that could be used to sum up Sligo Rovers’ underwhelming display against Derry City last Saturday night.

Rovers boss Liam Buckley was just as frustrated as those fans who had tuned in via WATCHLOI.

“We’re all disappointed,” he said after the 1-0 home loss to the Candystripes, a club who’ve had their own troubles this season but still managed to halt their own losing streak and end Rovers’ unbeaten run.

“We just didn’t play well enough. That is the bottom line, albeit I don’t remember them [Derry] having a shot [on target] during the whole match.”

Buckley continually emphasised that his side didn’t show sufficient craft, especially when it came to asking questions of Derry’s defence.

“We just didn’t do enough in the final third, we just didn’t create enough.”

“If you don’t get crosses in then you don’t get opportunities for your forwards.”

“From a midfield point of view, we didn’t have enough link-up play in the final third.”

After going a goal down to Will Patching’s converted penalty, Rovers failed to muster an appropriate response. Buckley agreed.

“We didn’t do enough for the entire match, especially in the final third. We just have to get better – that is what we are going to have to reflect on.”

“If we are going to improve and be in some sort of contention this season, we have to get that part of our game better.”

Derry’s new boss Ruaidhrí Higgins may or may not have given his side an immediate magical touch – he was appointed on Friday following the announcement on Thursday morning of Declan Devine’s dismissal – but the visitors didn’t bring a whirlwind to The Showgrounds.

Buckley continued: “Derry did OK. We gifted them the penalty but, other than that, I don’t remember them having a shot on Ed [McGinty] for the whole match.”

“Bearing in mind where we are in the table, I’m sure they are delighted to have got the win.”

“Fans are sorely missed but we’ve have got to reflect on this – you either play by chance or play by design.”

“We are trying to play by some sort of design. But [against Derry] it was off the cuff and there is no guarantee that you’ll create chances that way.” The manager said that he didn’t want to take a risk by using winger Walter Figueira, who, although named in the matchday squad, wasn’t fully recovered from a knock picked up against Bohemians the previous Tuesday.

“We could have taken a risk on Walter [Figueira] but he wasn’t 100% sure that the injury was right.”

“When players aren’t a 100% sure