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eircom National League Premier Division

With 3 points in the bag, after the win in Drogheda, the Blues needed to keep improving and try to take something from a what was going to be a tough physical encounter against a big strong St. Pats team. Waterford were poor in their opening match in the RSC against League contenders Shelbourne and now had a chance to show the home crowd what we could really do. A point would do us nicely once it was a score draw.

WLR Fm Broadcast live from the RSC

Jimmy signed Danny Connor in midweek from Peterbrough and he would start today's game between the posts in place of Gavin Morris. Kevin O'Brien and John Frost were injured so the squad depth was again challenged. Before kick off we looked a lot more settled and bigger on the pitch than we did against Shels. Both teams took a little time to get to grips with a greasy surface, but the Blues had the better of the opening 20 minutes. Gary O'Neill and Vinny were working hard up front with Mulcahy and Fitzgerald getting stuck into the opposition in the middle of the park. It was one of Vinny's runs with the ball that saw the Pats keeper take him down inside the area and give the referee no option but to point to the spot. Who would take the penalty was a question buzzing around the stand, but up stepped Alan Reilly and hit powered the ball into the net even though their keeper got a touch. 1 up and the RSC was jumping. The half time whistle arrived and the players were cheered off the field.

Another full stand see the Blues score 4

As the second period started no one could have predicted what was going to happen, not even in your wildest dream. Alan Reilly the scorer of the first who was having a pretty quite game, received the ball outside the box, with his first touch he beat the defender, found himself in space inside the box and hammered the ball into the net. Maybe Jimmy's talk of European football was not so far off the mark after all (sorry starting to get carried away). At this stage I must mention our new keeper Danny Connor, he was having a great debut, coming off his line catching or fisting balls, talking to his back four, seems to have a good pair of hands and is well able to kick the ball. Adding this to the work rate and team spirit of the other 10, no Waterford supporter could have a major complaint at this stage. But then The Super Saints hit back to reduce the margin to a single goal. The way we rallied after this was not something often seen in the RSC, usually we would sit back and try to see the game out and hold onto our 1 goal lead. This time we pushed the opposition back into their half and again a rash challenge in the St Pats area saw us awarded another penalty. Reilly stood up and coolly completed his hatrick. We were two goals ahead again but St Pats were unlucky not to be level as they scored direct from a free kick from 45 yards only for the goal to be disallowed as it was indirect. 6 minutes from time the team form the Stadium of Light scored from a ball crossed into the box, when their centre forward was left alone to head the ball into the net from 8 yards. Again we lifted our game and in the last minute Wayne Fitzgerald scored from the edge of the box to give the Blues 3 points and their first win the in the RSC in the Premier League.

Hatrick Hero Alan Reilly

Even though this was another great victory which now sees us with 6 points from 3 games, with UCD and Derry yet to register a point and Drogheda with just 1 point to show from 2 games, I am a little concerned about the number of yellow cards we are picking up at this early stage. We are eager to get stuck in, and we have to adjust to the pace of Premier football but we cannot keep picking up cards, because it will come back to haunt us later in the season. But lets finish on a high note as I turn on Aertel on page 238 tonight and look at the League table I see the Blues second in the table. If at the end of the first phrase (9 matches), I turn again to page 238 as see the Waterford United in the top half, I will be one happy camper.