“I thought we were convincing winners tonight”
Waterford FC manager Keith Long during Friday night's win over Dundalk FC at the RSC. Photos: Noel Browne.
It was a job well done for Waterford FC as they made it three wins on the bounce with a convincing 4-1 win over a struggling Dundalk side at the RSC on Friday evening, but Head Coach Keith Long still believes that there are still things to be worked on.
Speaking after the game, Long said: “It’s an important win because we would have looked a little bit foolish if we hadn’t done our business properly after having a great week away in Sligo and away in Tallaght last Monday.
“To win three games in a row is important. It puts to bed a little bit the noise around some of our home displays and some of our results for now. It was a convincing win albeit that for spells in the first-half after going a goal ahead, we should have gone onto a score a second.
“Instead Dundalk get the goal and they have a spell for ten or 15 minutes where they looked threatening and maybe on another night, they could have gotten another goal or two, but listen we get a second goal at the right time from what we’ve been doing in training.
“We’ve been looking to get the ball wide and trying to get the ball into the box. Maleace (Asamoah) on the opposite side as becomes the striker and gets on the end of things. Podge gets across the front post and Maleace finishes it very, very well.
“He takes his first goal exceptionally well and his third goal is one for the highlight reel really. We’ve won the game on the scoreline at least convincingly enough. We ran out comfortable enough winners having got the third and fourth goal in the second-half. It was a good all-round performance, but areas to improve.”
The Blues Head Coach added: “There were times in the first-half where the crowd gets a little bit anxious and a little bit nervy. You know what though, that’s the game at this level isn’t it like? We’re not going to be dominant for 90 minutes. It just doesn’t happen.
“Remember that’s our third game in eight days. The boys went to the well tonight. Some fellas have played three 90 minutes and a lot of minutes in the legs. You can see the depth of our squad hopefully over the three games. It was nice to bring on Gbemi Arubi and Connor Evans to get minutes.
“Rowan McDonald has been exceptional for us in the middle of the park, but he has had to come off. I don’t remember the last time that he has played three games in eight days. He has been so vital for us in that midfield position. Ben McCormack and Harvey Macadam off the bench and they impacted the game very well.”
Long concluded: “It’s a good night’s work for us. I think that the goal just before half-time was crucial and there’s no doubt about that. It changes the complexion of things. It didn’t change our team talk because we had to change some issues that we had.
“I thought that we got that correct at half-time. We looked a bit better in terms of shape in the second-half and we didn’t look back. It was comfortable in the second-half after we got the third goal. The oxygen went out of Dundalk and took the sting out of their attack. We ran out comfortable enough winners.”
