Blues have big relegation battle on their hands after Dalymount defeat
Waterford's Pádraig Amond celebrates scoring against Bohs. Photo: INPHO/Andrew Conan
It was the same old story for Waterford FC on their return to the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division after a three-week break, as they gave a big helping hand to Bohemian FC in suffering another defeat at Dalymount Park on Friday night last.
After Stephen McMullan fumbled an easy Niall Morahan cross over the line on the half-hour mark, Padraig Amond brought his side level with a close-range header that was deemed to have crossed the line by the match officials, but the inability to defend a long throw yielded the winner for the hosts.
Amond could have equalised for the Blues three minutes before the finish, only to head straight into the hands of Kacper Chorazka from close-range, and with both Sligo Rovers and Galway United picking up a point in their games, the relegation battle gap at the bottom is now down to three points.
It was the post that denied the Blues an early breakthrough goal inside four minutes. A sweeping move saw James Olayinka spray the ball out wide left to Jesse Dempsey, who put in a teasing cross for Padraig Amond, but his flick towards goal came back off the upright with keeper Kacper Chorazka beaten.
The Blues continued on the front foot with fullback Josh Miles carving out a chance for himself on ten minutes when he cut in from the right onto his left foot, but his well-struck effort from 25 yards flew wide of Chorazka’s far post.
In an impressive start from the visitors, they went close again on 13 minutes when Ryan Burke sent in a left-wing cross to the back post, where Conan Noonan failed to connect from close range, but when the ball was recycled to Sam Glenfield, his shot took a deflection that took it wide of the target.
The home side had their first shot on the goal with 20 minutes on the clock when midfielder Dawson Devoy, from inside his own half, noticed Blues keeper Stephen McMullan off his line, but his ambitious effort was saved by the netminder.
It was a nightmare moment from Blues keeper McMullan that gifted the hosts the lead on the half-hour mark. Niall Morahan seemed to take an age to throw the ball to Archie Meekison before receiving the return pass, and after hooking an aimless ball into the arms of the netminder, he left the ball inexplicably fumble over the line for a shocking opener.
The Blues drew level in another big moment in the first-half added time. Ryan Burke sent over a left-wing cross that saw Padraig Amond touch the ball back to Miles before receiving the return pass, and after his shot was saved, he headed the rebound goalwards, which saw the ball cross the line in the eyes of assistant referee Eoin Harte despite the best attempts of Morahan to clear.
After a tentative opening to the second-half, Waterford were the cause of their own downfall once again as they conceded a second goal from a throw-in on 66 minutes. Jordan Flores eventually sent in a cross that saw both Grant Horton and Kacper Radkowski fail to clear their lines, and when Adam McDonnell teed up Archie Meekison, he beat keeper Stephen McMullan with a crisp right-footed finish from 14 yards.
Douglas James-Taylor had a big chance to extend the Bohs’ lead six minutes later when he got in front of Radkowski to meet a Dawson Devoy right-wing cross at the near post, but he headed wide of the target from close range.
John Coleman brought on both Muhammadu Faal and Tommy Lonergan with ten minutes remaining on the clock in the hope of grabbing something from the game, but it was both Radkowski and Sam Glenfield who were off target with efforts from distance soon afterwards.
With time ticking down into the 87th minute, the Blues should have levelled. Ryan Burke’s long throw from the left was flicked on by Tommy Lonergan before being hooked backwards by Dawson Devoy onto the head of Padraig Amond, but his close-range header was straight into the hands of Chorazka.
Chorazka; Morahan, Okedina, Byrne, Flores; Devoy, McDonnell, Clarke; Meekison, James-Taylor (Whelan 90+4), Parsons (Rooney 46).
McMullan; Miles (Coyle 67), Horton, Radkowski, Burke, Dempsey (White 74); Glenfield, Rossiter, Olayinka (Faal 80); Amond, Noonan (Lonergan 80).
Declan Toland (Athlone).
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