We need to build on form
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the importance not only Sligo Rovers beating the teams around us, but also taking a surprise result or three along the way should we be successful in dragging ourselves away from the bottom.
Saturday’s draw against Dundalk was just that. As Ger Lyttle said post-match, it was an unexpected bonus and was arguably our most impressive performance of the season given what we were up against.
There were some really good showings from players who haven’t been up to it this season. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling matched the form that many thought would see him move back to England at the end of last season.
He was determined, adjusted, calm on the ball but in a responsible manner and chose against taking risks. The absence of John Russell, Raff Cretaro and Galway-bound Jonah Ayunga heralded an adjustment in the balance and approach of the attack with Gary Boylan playing the shielding role as usual with Rhys McCabe, Craig Roddan and Chris Kenny operating in front of him.
Neither of the latter pair would be the first choice for Rovers supporters and I cannot claim to have had much hope for our ability to hold the ball in the middle come kick-off time.
Especially given that you’re going out against what is the best midfield in the country.
But kudos to Roddan and Kenny, they both put in decent shifts.
Roddan kept things simple. He didn’t always make the right choice while on the ball but his pared back ambition suited the way we played.
His job was to keep the likes of Benson, Stewart and Duffy in check and allow the McCabes and Kearns do the pretty stuff. Kearns, when his mind is put to it, is an asset and he showed that on Saturday. More of the same please Daniel! Admirable too was Kyle Callan-McFadden who seems to gradually be taking to that leader role at the back.
There’s a steely determination to Kyle’s play the last two or so months.
He was lucky to get away with one or two heavy challenges on Saturday, but both were necessary given that had he been beaten, Dundalk had unmarked men either side on both occasions.
And what of Benny Igiehon up top? The guy seems to be a real improvement on what went before. He has that balance of power and finesse and seems to know his job. Defenders aren’t comfortable playing facing up to him or with his back to them and you could see that with Brian Gartland and Niclas Vemmelund at the weekend. A point against Dundalk is a tremendous result, no doubt about it. The first ten minutes hinted at another humbling but Rovers showed real character to get back into it and to be fair, we weren’t far off taking more from what transpire to be a real arm-wrestle in the second half.
Now the players must show repeat that level of effort, concentration and intent into the next month of games. Putting the FAI Cup aside, Pat’s, Bray, Harps and Galway are up next with champions elect Cork thrown in there to scare the life out of us all.
And while it’s something to put it up to a heavyweight like Dundalk, it’s a whole different challenge to scrap against someone your own size. Dundalk is done, gone and passed. Now it’s the biggest game of the season against Pat’s and they’ll only continue to get bigger.
The Saints struggled badly at the start of the year but arrive in Sligo on Saturday on a three match winning streak, no little thanks to the introduction of the enigma that is Killian Brennan to their squad. With a home game against Finn Harps next week, Liam Buckley will know that two wins against teams from the north west should see them safe.
While a draw in Sligo would be a decent consolation prize. For Rovers, it’s imperative we build on form and find the win. If only just to try and create some breathing space ahead of Galway going into our game with them next month.
The impending addition of Vinny Faherty will add an extra dimension to what we can offer going forward. I know nothing about Omar Haughton but I’ve seen enough of Faherty through the years to know he is the type of striker that can find goals in any system. He almost single-handedly kept Limerick in the top flight a few years ago.
At the time of writing, nothing has been set in stone but it seems at least three more players will be added to that list.
And given the early impact the players Ger Lyttle has brought to the club to date have had, there’s every reason to have a quiet confidence he’ll find the ingredients to give us a decent chance of staying clear at the bottom three. For now we are still in trouble and if we are to stay up, it’s not going to be a case of safe with two games to go.
If our away form doesn’t dramatically improve, we’ll be down well before the Drogheda game. For this week, it’s about Pat’s and continuing on from what was built last week.