'People aren’t giving us a chance' says Bohs boss Reynolds

The Gypsies are eying a crucial win on Friday night. 

Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Bohemians are the only team capable of lifting a double and are chasing a sixth successive win but Alan Reynolds is downplaying their title prospects.

Victory tonight at home to Drogheda United would take the Gypsies level on points with joint-leaders St Patrick’s Athletic, if the Hoops become the latest of Waterford’s scalps.

Without a Premier crown since 2008, Bohs have six games left to nudge out their rivals.

Additionally, they host Reynolds’ hometown club of Waterford in the FAI Cup semi-final on October 9.

“People aren’t giving us a chance,” said the Bohs boss, with a glint of mind-games in his eyes. “All I know is that we’re hungry for success. Let’s see what that looks like come the end of the season.” 

This series, culminating in St Pat’s travelling to basement side Sligo Rovers on Saturday, precedes a lull of three weeks for the international break.

Having led from early in the season, likely nothing less than three points for Shamrock Rovers will do if they’re to head into downtime at the summit.

“It’s just a matter of trust in it,” said Hoops manager Stephen Bradley about rectifying their seven-game winless sequence. “There wasn’t anything major wrong in last week’s defeat at St Pat’s but we need to be better in key moments because you get punished.” 

Graham Coughlan brings his Blues side to Tallaght in title form. “If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best” stressed the man who has lifted Waterford from the bottom to eight in the table.

“Shamrock Rovers are certainly one of those. If we want to be successful, whether that’s individually or collectively, you must compete and overcome them. 

“They’ve had some setbacks but are still the benchmark in this country. I’ve never been to Tallaght stadium, so hopefully we can correct the last two draws because we want to breed a winning mindset.”