Sligo Rovers host Derry City in a Premier Division fixture next Friday night with both sides needing points to stabilise their league positions. The match at The Showgrounds kicks off at 19:45 on October 30.
Their recent form shows no wins in five, with a draw against Dundalk last week preceded by four consecutive defeats, a run of zero wins, one draw and four losses. They are 41 points behind league leaders Shamrock Rovers, who they face on Friday 30 October in their next fixtures assignment. The team has scored 26 goals this season but conceded 60, leaving them with a goal difference of negative 34.
Derry City arrive after a 1-0 victory over St Patrick's Athletic on October 19, which followed a 2-0 loss to Drogheda United. The Candystripes have had the better of recent meetings between the two clubs.
Head-to-head history
Derry City have won three of the last four competitive encounters, including a 2-0 victory at The Brandywell on August 7. The most recent meeting at The Showgrounds ended in a 0-0 draw last April. Sligo Rovers' only recent success was a 1-0 friendly win back in January.
Kaiyne Woolery, who scored in the 1-1 draw with Dundalk, is likely to lead the line again alongside top scorer O. Elding, who has 11 goals this campaign. The team will need to tighten a defence that has conceded 60 goals, the highest total in the division.
Their recent results include a 1-1 draw with Dundalk on Saturday 17 October, a 5-1 defeat to Shelbourne on Friday 9 October, a 1-0 loss to St Patrick's Athletic on Saturday 19 September, a 3-1 defeat to Galway United on Monday 14 September, and a 2-0 loss to Drogheda United on Friday 11 September. The match offers a chance for Rovers to build momentum before the final stretch of the season. Their immediate focus, however, is on the trip to face Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday 30 October night.
