Time for Rovers to make home comforts count, with two games at The Showgrounds this week

WHEN the fixtures were released at the back end of last year, Limerick at home was as close to the ideal start you could ask for. The cliché of ‘no easy games’ stands up in the League of Ireland in both divisions. But the majority of the ingredients were there to see Sligo Rovers off to a winning start for the first time in four seasons. Then we remembered we forgot to sign a few defenders…

Coupled with the result, the most disappointing aspect of last Saturday’s fare was the total gut-punch post match anti-climax. A crowd of over three thousand - the large bulk of it home support – came out expecting to witness a good start to the season for their local club.

Many would not have been regulars at every home game so to expect so much and come away disheartened may affect the club with two home games to come over the next six days.

For me, that was the biggest let down. There was real optimism in the lead up to last week’s game, indeed there was and still largely is a great feel good atmosphere around the League of Ireland circuit this season. It feels as if the league is at least PR wise, getting it right this season, close to a breakthrough and on the cusp of something. Maybe not something great, but something nonetheless. People are talking about us again.

Even though we are only one game in and a lot can change in the next week, it was no less bitterly disappointing to see Sligo and its hinterland back its team only to get maybe twenty five minutes of decent football in return.

The game itself was there to be won. The difference was Limerick had a plan, stuck to it and it came off. Rovers had a plan, it went askew and we weren’t able to implement plan B. In fact it looked as of Plan B from the bench was lost in translation somewhere between Ger Lyttle’s technical area and the sideline given the Rovers’ boss reaction to certain stages of play in the second half.

Both Alistair Roy and Eduardo Pinceli were the best of the new boys. Roy’s pace and willingness to go at his defender is such a tonic given we’ve had to put up with Daniel Kearns’ relentless instance in holding on to the ball without doing very much with it last season.

What I would like to see a lot more of is Roy’s link up play with Morgan who didn’t get much service from either the Scot or Caolan McAleer on the opposite side. Morgan had to come deep to get involved in play as the game wore on which doesn’t bode well for the men around him who are expected to come up with the supply.

There were the odd moans about Pinceli’s decision making but I think it might take a few more games for some of our younger players to get familiar with Eduardo’s way of playing. His vision, intelligence both in and away from play and his ability with the ball is on par with the best we’ve seen in this league in recent years.

The starting eleven on Saturday featured no less than five new players from last season’s squad so a grace period has to be granted. Saturday was also the first time that our front six played together so it’s hard to expect them to gel in an instant.

But on the flip side, Limerick themselves have had to deal with a turbulent pre-season with a management upheaval and plenty of transfer dealings taking place well into January.

Transfer dealings and lack of them here in Sligo also played its part in Rovers’ woes. Including Gary Boylan, just three first-team defenders were included in Ger’s squad for Saturday’s game. An injury picked up during the week by the only left footed defender in the team, Regan Donelon, meant a total reshuffle of the defensive pack. The predominately right footed Boylan was the plaster applied on the left, meaning Craig Roddan’s inclusion at right back added further asymmetry to the eleven due to a lack of cover. We were the team with six wide attackers but only one full back.

On one hand you have to admire Ger for sticking to his guns and not panic signing. But while supporters understand that attracting young footballers to the north west is one of the toughest aspects of occupying the Showgrounds hot seat, that team is screaming and begging for defensive cover.

The club was understood to be involved in negotiations to bring Patrick McClean here from Waterford at the weekend. McClean, whose versatility would be welcomed here was named on the bench for Waterford’s win over Derry but is understood to have spent the game in the stands before making the journey to Sligo on Saturday.

From the outside looking in, it would seem McClean was keen for the move to happen but Waterford are reported to be digging their heals over compensation. Which is totally understandable given McClean’s talents and the timing of the offer.

After our first night hiccups, things don’t get much easier in the coming days as both Derry and double winners Cork come to town. Finishing clear of the likes of Bray, Limerick and Bohs this year has to be the minimum requirement for Rovers. Two of those sides picked up unexpected wins last week while a very unfancied Bray took a point from Dundalk.

Only one game down, we can’t overly worry but the warning signs are there. Waterford aren’t in this division for the views and their win over Rovers’ next opponents Derry City shows that. Kenny Shiels will see Rovers as more than a potential scalp given what happened at the weekend.

Both Friday and next Monday’s game against Cork are as tough as they come in this league. It’s time to make home comforts count.