League Preview: Longford Town -v- Drogheda United

LONGFORD TOWN

Longford Town will be hoping that they can continue their rich vein of form when they host Drogheda United at Bishopsgate this evening (kick-off is at 7.30pm).

The Red and Black have won their previous two league games against both Wexford and Shamrock Rovers II.

Despite that, Town were perhaps fortunate to leave Tallaght Stadium with a win as they survived a late Rovers II onslaught at the death.

“It’s really competitive at the moment,” Doyle told extratime.com after last week’s win. “You have Cobh right on the heels of everyone as well so I’m expecting there to be mixed results between teams.

“Any team that can put in a run of wins in the next few games is really going to have a chance of kicking on that little bit.

“I expect it to be a really exciting run-in and there will be some really close games.”

He added: “That’s the nature of football where you have a week with two defeats when you were down and low and then you have another week when you’re right back up there.

“That’s where it’s important that you don’t get carried away with either (the highs or the lows). It’s difficult at time but it’s useful at times if you can find some sort of middle ground to not get carried away.”

Sam Verdon and Lido Lotefa are both expected to miss out for Longford Town this evening.

DROGHEDA UNITED

After a sweeping five-one win over Cabinteely on Monday evening, Drogheda United will be looking to defeat Longford Town for the first time since 2018 this evening.

Drogheda have lost their previous four against Longford – and they will be hoping that they can bring their from last week’s win over Cabo.

“The thing that is annoying is that we dropped points against Cobh. If we played like that (vs Cabinteely) we would have beat Cobh,” Mark Doyle told his club’s media team.

“We need to just be a bit more consistent, against every team, not just the teams towards the top of the table.

“We need to move on in to Saturday Longford is always a tough game and we haven't beat them in a while so hopefully we do on Saturday.”

In team news, there are again no suspension worries for Tim Clancy but midfielder Luke Heeney and goalkeeper Luca Gratzer are again set to miss out as the pair continue to recover from injuries.

Defender Jack Tuite has missed the last two matches against Cobh Ramblers and Cabinteely through injury and is again doubtful for this fixture.

Referee: Adriano Reale.

MATCH STATS

Longford Town won the previous game between the two sides at United Park, with Sam Verdon netting a first-half winner for Daire Doyle’s charges.

Town have also won their previous four league games against Drogheda – only conceding once.

Drogheda are winless at Bishopsgate since August 2013 when they saw off the Red and Black in the FAI Cup.

BETTING

Longford Town 17/10; Draw /; Drogheda United 13/10.

PREDICTION

Longford Town 1 - 1 Drogheda United

Longford Town

Injured: Sam Verdon, Lido Lotefa.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Drogheda United

Injured: Luke Heeney, Luca Gratzer.

Doubtful: Jack Tuite.

Suspended: None.