Alan Reynolds is demanding a response from his Bohemians players in the Dublin Derby away to Shamrock Rovers tomorrow evening.
After improvements in performances and results in recent weeks, eighth-placed Bohs squandered a golden opportunity to put some distance between them and ninth-placed Drogheda United on Friday night.
Frantz Pierrot’s first-half goal was enough for Kevin Doherty’s men to claim victory, which closed the gap between the sides to five points.
Reynolds said: “We went into Friday’s game on the back of a positive few weeks and knowing what was at stake so our performance was very disappointing.
“We didn’t start the game in the way we set out to do. We weren’t good enough in that first 25-minute spell and we allowed Drogheda to punish us by not dealing with a ball at the back post, which gave them something to hold on to and to frustrate us.
“Despite our performance not being where it needed to be, we had more than enough chances to level the game and push on.
“We just can’t be passing up that amount of chances in this league. There was no lack of effort, but we simply have to be more clinical in front of goal.
“It was a frustrating night for us all round, particularly because we had been improving in recent weeks.
“We know it was a lost opportunity for us to put some breathing space between ourselves and Drogheda. That has given us a lot of work to do, so there needs to be a response from all of us.”
Reynolds’ men haven’t had much time to dwell on what went wrong, with focus quickly turning to tomorrow’s trip to Tallaght Stadium.
But they know there will need to be a big improvement at what has not been a happy hunting ground for Bohs sides in recent years, with their last victory at the Dublin 24 venue coming in 2019.
They do, however, come into this game on the back of beating Stephen Bradley’s side in their last two meetings, both at Dalymount Park; first in the FAI Cup in July and then in the league earlier this month.
Reynolds added: “We have shown we can beat them and we will be going to Tallaght very much in that mindset.
“On the pitch and in the stands we have risen to the occasion against the Dublin clubs over the past month but we are under no illusions that this is going to be the most difficult one yet.”
Team news
Bohemians are without the suspended Jordan Flores. Leigh Kavanagh, forced off on Friday due to illness, remains a doubt but Adam McDonnell could return.
James McManus, Filip Pisczek, Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley remain out.
