Inspired Sligo batter desperate Waterford to move off bottom 

While the Bit O'Red had a Good Friday to savour the pressure on Blues boss Keith Long looks to be rising rapidly 

HAVE A BIT O'THAT: Cian Kavanagh of Sligo Rovers, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's third goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Waterford and Sligo Rovers at the Regional Sports Centre in Waterford. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Waterford 0 Sligo Rovers 4 (McElroy 8’, Elding 11’, Kavanagh 62’, Lomboto 88’)

A miserable night at the RSC that saw the pitch survive a late 7pm inspection turned into an absolute nightmare for Waterford FC as they were trounced 4-0 by Sligo Rovers in front of 1974 supporters. In the process, the visitors lifted themselves off the foot of the table. 

There’s no question that a sixth-straight league defeat on the Blues is sure to put into question the future of Waterford manager Keith Long, who was a dejected figure on the sideline as his team crumbled in front of home fans who voted with their feet long before referee Aaron O’Dowd sounded the final whistle.

Cian Kavanagh missed an early open goal on six minutes when he got his head on a brilliant Will Fitzgerald corner, but Grant Horton got a vital touch that took the ball inches wide of the near post.

The visitors were celebrating the lead goal a mere two minutes later when Fitzgerald whipped over another deadly delivery that found the head of the unmarked Gareth McElroy and he planted a close-range header past a helpless Stephen McMullan.

Things went from bad to worse for the Blues on 11 minutes as they gifted their opponents a second goal. Navajo Bakboord was guilty of handing possession straight to Fitzgerald, who sprayed the ball out to the left for Reece Hutchinson, and his deep cross saw Owen Elding power a header past keeper McMullan.

After McMullan produced a top save to deny Elding his second of the game on 33 minutes, Waterford had two half chances before the break but neither Kacper Radkowski or Tommy Lonergan could find a way past Sam Sargeant.

The night got even worse for the Blues as they were reduced ten men on the hour mark when Kyle White, who was cautioned for a pullback seven minutes earlier, was shown his second yellow card for a cynical trip on Sligo’s Ronan Manning.

A third goal arrived for Rovers on 62 minutes when Fitzgerald sent over a harmless right-wing corner that was dropped by keeper McMullan, the ball breaking to Conor Reynolds, who set up Kavanagh to add to a memorable night for his side with a close-range finish.

A disastrous night for Waterford and brilliant one for Sligo was compounded by a fourth goal for the Bit O’Red two minutes from time when substitute Francely Lomboto raced onto a through ball from John Mahon before firing home.

Waterford FC: McMullan; Bakboord (Boyle 46), Horton, Radkowski, Leahy; White, Olayinka (McCormack 71), Noonan Coyle (Glenfield 75); Lonergan (McMenamy 68), Amond (Pouwels 71).

Sligo Rovers: Sargeant; Reynolds (Patton 71), McElroy, Mahon, Hutchinson; Manning (Wolfe 82), Hakiki (Lomboto 82), Doyle-Hayes (Malley 71), Fitzgerald; Elding, Kavanagh (Mallon 71).

Referee: Aaron O’Dowd (Dublin).