Longford look to improve form

FAI Cup holders Longford Town will be hoping for a change of fortune when they face Liechtenstein Cup holders Vaduz.

Without a win in six league games and with a poor scoring record of just 11 goals in 20 matches this season, Longford have slipped dangerously close to the relegation zone – hardly ideal preparation for a European campaign.

“You won’t really be looking forward to it when you’re struggling and we’re struggling big time at the moment,” admitted captain Barry Ferguson.

“We’ll be down a few league games when we come back and we’re under pressure then. We could be three or four games down on everybody else and could be bottom of the league."

Despite the chance to sample European success Ferguson has his focus on improving Longford’s league form.

He said: “It doesn’t matter what you do in Europe, get to the third fourth round or whatever, but you’re still struggling here. The main priority is to get the results in the league.”

“We haven’t really put a performance together all season. It seems to be getting worse and we can’t put our finger on it.

“We’ve got to keep working hard and hope to bounce back. We’re letting ourselves down big time.

"We just have to knuckle down and work hard.”

Striker Sean Francis agrees that Longford have not performed well recently and is hoping that the European games can mark a turning point in the season.

“We can’t even buy a performance to merit calling us footballers. We’re lacking a bit at the moment,” he said.

“But the good thing about football is there’s always another game and it can’t come quickly enough.

“We’ve got to pick ourselves up and are looking forward to it.”

Manager Alan Mathews believes that the change of scenery could be the pick-up that the side needs.

“We’ve not been playing well or getting the results but hopefully the few days away, in a different competition, will help us,” he said.

“While it is not ideal coming here after losing to (bottom club) Dublin City, it is now gone completely out of the mind and this is another job totally.”

But Mathews and his team will certainly not be underrating Vaduz.

Although based in Liechtenstein - whose League is ranked the worst by UEFA - Vaduz are one of the top sides in the Swiss second division and Mathews admitted that Longford would need to be on their guard.

“They are a big side and we will need to make sure we don’t get exposed in the first 20 minutes,” he said.

“We won’t be going gung ho because we know they will come at us but I think we are capable of getting a result,” he added.

Mathews has a near full-strength squad to choose from, with experienced striker Paul Keegan and winger Brian Byrne ruled out, while former Arsenal defender Brian McGovern has joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle.