Waterford, Flansiro, Saturday 7.45pm.

[L.T.F.C.]

We meet one of other main title challengers on Saturday.
What do people think?

I am hoping for a win: 2-1 Longford!

Hon Town!

[outspoken]

Tough as always but lets be confident 2-0 Town!

[Longfordian]

Could have done without Gillespie getting sent off. Not sure who I'd bring in to replace him. Push Collie James into midfield and play Dowling RB perhaps. Hopefully we can keep the run going but we're going to drop points shortly. I can see this one being a draw. 1-1.

[Tallanted]

7.30 kick off? I would take a draw but no reason we shouldn't be looking to win at home, waterford have recovered well from the opening day but are very suspect at the back and will open up if we go at them positively.

[outspoken]

I agree with Longfordian put Colly in the holding role at play Dowling RB.

[RonnieB]

Our first real test of the season. It would be great to get the three points and continue to open some sort of a gap at this very early stage. Looking forward to making the trip west for my first game of the season.

[outspoken]

I usually wait a day before posting after a game but I'm so happy after that I can't help myself.

Well what can I say only that at half time we should have been out of site and ridding away into the sunset of Salthill away next week. Waterford were the worst team I've seen in a very long time first half they were caught out over the top time and time again as Bermo ran the show and ripped them apart time after time.

2nd half we never really started until Waterford scored there 1st and when we did wake up and go 3-1 with less then 10 to play I couldn't see any possible way we could ---- up but this is de town we always and I mean always have to test our hearts for the last 10 and while the first goal was avoidable (should have been closed down far earlier) I'm not sure if there's much we could do about the 2nd (maybe we could have closed down quicker again).

For me the difference tonight and many a night is Alan Kirby, his passing is pinpoint his composure is top class and don't get me started on his set piece delivery it is simply world class, every delivery looks like it's going to be converted.

Despite conceeding 2 our back 4 looked solid enough especially in the air and craig hyland made some excellent stops and despite some people criticising him for both goals I don't think there was anything he could do he got hands on both but the sheer quality of the strike beat him both times, I'm very pleased with him so far he saved us 2 points against Athlone and possibly 2 more tonight with that wonderful tip over that moved right in front of his face.

Good run of fixtures coming up for us now i'd be very confident we stay top for quite a while longer.

Also just to mention the ever growing crowd good to see so many young faces after all they are the potential future fans so we need to get them out and keep them there, great to see and hear section O in such good numbers tonight had a certain good old days feel about it.

[Longfordian]

We play Limerick away after Salthill don't we? That'll be our toughest game of the season but sure if we beat Salthill they'll have to worry about us. Great determination tonight which was as impressive as the football in the first half. A few people saying the crowd was poor, it wasn't massive but a good few came in during the first half. I've seen worse out there.

[outspoken]

400-450 I'd say.

[Longfordian]

Would have said 350-400 myself but it's splitting hairs really. The money taken in wasn't much less than the Athlone game and Waterford didn't bring many.

[L.T.F.C.]

Their two goals, while decent strikes, were brought on by us backing off and letting them have a go. Diabolical.

Other than that I was delighted. The ref was once again useless. How in this day and age can that FAI hoor look at that crap week in week out is beyond belief. After that, I though James and Bermingham were super, and decent performances all round after that. No complaints!

[Acornvilla]

Bless their #3, hes one of the worst players I've ever seen, he was incapable of reading the flight of the ball, always realized it was going over his head way too late and terrible positionally, I'm guessing he was only playing because of some of their other defenders being out injured? All in all we we're the better team, would have been nice to win it a little easier but 3 points are all that matters. I thought we lacked a bit of width at times, more so 2nd half than 1st half, we dominated the right flank in the 1st.

I was worried we would draw this, not very impressed with waterford at all, roll on Salthill.

Oh and happy late Birthday Outspoken

[outspoken]

Haha thanks Acornvilla the perfect birthday present!

Didn't actually realise we have Limerick away in 2 games time but I'm very confident we will come away with something there. 7 points from our next 3 would be great!

[Martinho II]

That is the best ever consequetive league wins from a start of a season. The previous record was three from 85-86 season.. by the way the record start for us unbeaten from the start of a season was in Mickey O'Connors first season in charge(96-97) when we won two and drew six league games... Eight is the record and we are nearly there!

The goals were somethin else.. James effort came from a super cross field ball from Salmo.. hope was excellent for us the two goals for us were impressive.. Dont get me started on Jamie duffy hes useless and seems to be thinkin of his band deal whilst on the pitch..

That was my first home game of the season and I was delighted to see so many familiar faces that had stopped goin but have come back again!! as for section o we were very shy and quiet in the first half but once someone started chantin it was like the old days again..

tell you one thing this is why I love footie it beats away the sufferin from the recession!It is some run the lads are on. Limerick away will be the big test but if we can win next week and draw in Limerick I would be delighted..Man of the match for me last night was Thomas Crawley.. Mick lee was very impressive when he came on as sub!

[Longfordian]

Didn't think Crawley was great last night he was a bit casual at times but he does have the makings of an excellent full back. The defence in general was very good though, Hope and Deans won everything and Haverty was strong too. Apparently Duffy's "band" is either going to sign a big record deal in the next week or two or they're going to go their separate ways. Which would be a tragic loss to the music world no doubt. If they get their deal he'll be giving up football more than likely.

[Cabs88]

Great result and a great run we're on, great to see support slowly coming back..
We don't half make hard work of grinding out results, we should have been out of sight against athlone and waterford and still only won by the odd goal. Thought their two goals were great strikes, wouldnt blame the keeper, but us sitting off and allowing them to come on to us.
Though James was our best player, reads the game so well, and has a great range of passing. Purdy was quiet last night, and Shaw wasnt at his best, but he was very isolated at times. As mentioned above their number 3 was very poor (Frost was injured) and we got great joy in the first half against him, but didnt seem to want to go down his side at all in the second, though Cousins could have changed to 4-4-2 earlier than he did, maybe we mightnt have dropped back as deep, and Shaw would have a bit more support.
Again delighted with the result, and we are trying to play football which is always welcome to see.
4 from 4, come on the town!

[Macy]

Yeah, i wouldn't blame the keeper for either, eh, either. No one closing down for both of them. that'd be my one complaint really, we sat way to deep for much of the second half. Don't really get the criticism duffy got from some yesterday. he didn't do too much wrong imo. people should judge on the performance.

[RonnieB]

but once someone started chantin it was like the old days again..
!

I wont be around all the time to start it (oh lord I wish I was)

I dont think Duffy deserves the critiscism he got tbh. He was only on 15 mins or so.

We should have been 3 nil up at HT or 2 nil at the very least. Sat way too far back in the second half. Invited the two goals onto us. That said though two goals from Des Hope I was delighted.

Was great to be back on the hallowed steps

[daithi]

Great start to the season and you can really notice the crowds improving, I was talking to a man on the way in and it was his first game in about 4 years! I thought Crawley had a great game, the back 4 were solid enough. It was like a carbon copy of the Athlone game, we should have been out of sight at half time and we just backed off them in the second half and invited them onto us. Waterfords two goals were crackers in fairness to Hyland, I don't remember him making a save all night, and he done well on crosses while under pressure. Kirby is a class act. Birmingham was terrific, Shaw too. There was a lot of positives overall. The ref was poor and the linesman on the town side was brutal, apart from that........ 4 from 4, 12 from 12, top of the pile!!!!

[outspoken]

Just on Duffy there lads I wouldn't agree with the criticism of him because he actually played a part in the winning goal. Someone on the Town team gave a bad pass it went out for a through to Waterford and he won the ball straight back from the throw and if I remember correctly it was then Duffy who was fouled allowing Kirbs to whip in the wonderful dead ball for Hope to head home.

I wasn't at any of the away games yet this season (hoping to change that this week especially with this wonderful weather) but apparently he put in some good performances so maybe we should give him (and his wonderful band) a chance