League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- St Patrick's Athletic

• Fran Reilly
• Sat, May 16 2015




BRAY WANDERERS

Trevor Croly's first game in charge of his new side pits him against a club with whom he has forged a strong affiliation during his career. Croly spent seven years as a player in Inchicore, winning two Premier Division titles and one League Cup.

 

His present challenge is a far-cry from those days as Bray Wanderers currently sit second from bottom with just seven points from 12 games. It has been a season of turmoil for the Seagulls both on and off the pitch, with Croly's predecessor Alan Mathews and his entire coaching staff resigning before Maciej Tarnogrodzki's short-lived spell as caretaker initially yielded seven points from three games before the wheels came off.

 

A relegation battle coupled with what increasingly looks like a power-struggle for control of the club between the current board of directors and the McGettigan Group – whose proposed takeover, announced before Christmas, has still yet to materialise – would make most people think twice about getting involved, but Croly believes there is massive potential in Bray Wanderers.

 

“There's a plan, that was one of the appeals [of coming here],” Croly told Extratime.ie at his official unveiling on Monday. “I've spoken to [other] people and it was just kinda 'come in and see what happens' and there wasn't a plan. There's a plan here of what we want to do and how we want to go about it. That was a big, big factor in me coming here – the longevity of trying to build something.”

 

Wanderers have conceded 20 goals in their last four games, so the former Shamrock Rovers manager's first task will be to shore up that defence – but as managerial bows come, Croly knows that they don't come much tougher than an in form Pat's.

 

“It's going to be tough, I think they're very good. They've come into a rich vein of form,” Croly told Extratime.ie. “They've had a slow start but they're up and running now, unfortunately for us! We're facing them, so we've got to start preparing – we'll start tonight [Monday]. That's the challenge I've been speaking about, that's the challenge of coming into the job to try and go and get result against St. Pat's. It'll be very difficult.”

 

 

ST. PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

Liam Buckley will face his former player and assistant Trevor Croly as an opponent for the first time since July 2014 on Saturday evening. Croly got the better of his mentor on that night as Shamrock Rovers ran out 2-1 winners against the Saints in a hot-headed Dublin derby which saw Irish internationals Stephen McPhail and Keith Fahey sent off.

 

Emblematic of Rovers' league form under the Dubliner, three defeats from four league games followed. Croly headed for the Tallaght Stadium exit and out of League of Ireland football until taking up the vacancy at Bray Wanderers this week.

 

Though Pat's have struggled for victories against the big sides this season – Bohemians being the only team currently in the top four who the Saints have taken maximum points from – Buckley's charges have proved quite efficient against the rest of the league, only dropping points to Longford Town and Drogheda United.

 

While results like last week's 0-0 draw against the Hoops will grate with fans wanting a Saints side currently sitting fifth in the table to claw their way back into the title race sooner rather than later, Pat's have only lost twice this season and haven't tasted defeat since the 3-0 loss to champions Dundalk in March.
 

"I was satisfied with the performance," Buckley told stpatsfc.com. "But I also felt we could have done a little better in parts. We've worked on a few things this week and hopefully we can put them into practice on Saturday evening against Bray. We've had a few tight games in the Carlisle Grounds in the last few seasons so the players know that they will have a tough game."
 

Saints skipper Ger O'Brien misses out once again with a hamstring injury, while Greg Bolger (ankle) and Christy Fagan (knee) will face fitness tests before the game. Togo international Cyril Guedjé has resumed full training after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the season.

 

Referee: Padraigh Sutton.

 

 

MATCH STATS

St. Patrick's Athletic are yet to lose to a team outside of the top four this season.

 

Though they are second from bottom, Bray Wanderers' goal-difference at present is the worst of all 20 League of Ireland clubs (-19).

 

Bray Wanderers' last victory over St. Patrick's Athletic was a 1-0 win at Richmond Park in August 2012. An 87^th minute solo goal by Kieran 'Marty' Waters snatched victory for the Seagulls in a game which contained three red cards: Darren Meenan and Kenny Browne were sent off for the Inchicore side, while Jason Byrne was given his marching orders for the visitors.

 

Bray's last Carlisle Grounds success over Pat's took place almost exactly two years further back, in August 2010. A Jake Kelly brace and a goal for Shane O'Neill gave Wanderers a 3-2 victory over the Saints, with Danny North netting the visitors' consolation goals.

 

 

BETTING

Bray Wanderers 10/1; Draw 4/1; St. Patrick's Athletic 2/7.

 

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 0-2 St Patrick's Athletic

 

 

Bray Wanderers

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.

 

St. Patrick's Athletic

Injured: Ger O'Brien (hamstring).

Doubtful: Greg Bolger (ankle), Christy Fagan (knee), Cyril Guedjé (hamstring).

Suspended: None.