Waterford overcome Rovers.
SANDER Puri came back to haunt his former club on Friday night, with his first-half goal proving enough for Waterford to take all three points against Sligo Rovers at the Regional Sports Centre.
Rovers came into this game hoping that they could continue their good run of form away from The Showgrounds, having won their previous two games on the road.
Manager Ger Lyttle had to make do without the vital David Cawley who has been struggling with a knee injury for the last couple of weeks.
Lyttle handed a first league start to goalkeeper Ed McGinty, with Mitchell Beeney dropping to the bench alongside Seamus Sharkey and Adam Wixted, with Rhys McCabe, Raffaele Cretaro and Kyle Callan McFadden returning to the starting eleven.
Youngster McGinty was called into action early on when Stanley Aborah’s free-kick sailed into the box, but he eventually gathered at the second attempt.
The Blues had the best of the early play, and they went ahead on 17 minutes. Rory Feely and Noe Baba linked up to find Noel Hunt whose cross was fired past McGinty by Puri, who was on the books at The Showgrounds in 2015.
Corey Galvin broke free minutes later, and under pressure from Regan Donelon, he could only send his effort wide.
McGinty was again called into action when another Aborah set-piece caused problems, but Paul Keegan’s tame effort was well gathered by the Rovers ‘keeper.
The Bit O’Red found their feet later in the first-half, and came close to equalising when Donelon’s corner was just headed over the target by former Waterford man Patrick McClean.
Galvin managed to break away from Kris Twardek before passing for Puri, but the Estonian international’s shot was straight at McGinty in goal.
Drennan almost made it one apiece after the restart when he got on the end of McClean’s cross, but he was just crowded out before he could get his shot away.
Rovers finished the game with ten men following Rhys McCabe’s injury.
Ismahil Akinade and Aborah tried to extend the host’s lead late on, but the three points were Waterford’s in the end.
With no game this weekend, Rovers have a couple of weeks to assess injuries to Cawley, and Rhys McCabe and Donelon who were both substituted on Friday night.
Next up is a home game against Bray Wanderers, a night during which Rovers will celebrate the club’s 90th annivesary.
Waterford: Niall Corbet, Noe Baba, Kenny Browne, Garry Comerford, Dylan Barnett, Rory Feely, Stanley Aborah, Paul Keegan, Sander Puri, Cory Galvin (Bastien Héry 60), Noel Hunt (Izzy Akinade 85)
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty, Kyle Callan McFadden, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon, Kris Twardek, Jack Keaney, Rhys McCabe, Lee Lynch, Raffaele Cretaro, Mikey Drennan.
Referee: Ben Connolly