SLIGO ROVERS are hoping their solid defence can provide the platform to climb up the table.
The Bit O’ Red — who travel to Drogheda United tonight — kept their fifth clean sheet in 11 games in Monday’s scoreless draw against Galway United.
They managed just six across 36 matches last season and both boss John Russell and defender Reece Hutchinson reckon that is not by chance.
Russell said: “There’s definitely a defensive steeliness about us.
Ed McGinty the goalkeeper, he’s been brilliant.
“But our back four of Reece, JR Wilson — I know we lost Nando Pijnaker but he was playing brilliantly.
“Ollie Denham and Charlie Wiggett have come in from the UK and settled in really well and played brilliantly.
“To win, or not lose, games you’ve got to keep clean sheets and we’ve shown that we’ve got that in us this year.
“Even away to Waterford we went down to ten men when we were 1-0 up and we dug in and hung on, that’s a really good sign, long may that continue.”
Hutchinson signed for the club permanently last summer after an impressive spell on loan from Cheltenham Town.
And he added: “The personnel coming in helps, our structure is more solid this year.
“Defensively we’re a lot more aware of where we need to be, I feel like I’ve improved defensively.”
After back-to-back defeats to St Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers, Russell’s men drew with Dundalk and Galway.
Hutchinson added: “Last year, those sort of games we would have lost.”
They would have been one or two places higher than their current seventh spot had they won one and lost one but Russell stressed how quickly things can change.
He said: “It’s still very early, you look at where Bohs were and where they are now.
“Even Dundalk, after playing them on Friday night, they have the capability of putting two or three wins together and we’re the same.
“We’ve got really good players here and we’ve shown that when we’re at our best we can match any team.
“It’s so hard to get three points in the league but you see the difference when you do back-to- back, you jump up two or three spots.
“It’s going to be a tight season and everyone will be right in the mix until the end.”