Alan Reynolds says Bohemians are champing at the bit to build on their form of the last two months, adding that they travel to Turner’s Cross to face Cork City with something to prove.
A big travelling Bohs support is expected on Leeside for what Reynolds expects to be another tough game.
With no match last Friday due to the international football break, the Bohs squad were allowed some time off before quickly knuckling down with the aim of consolidating and building on the third-place position in the league table.
Reynolds said: “The lads were given a few days off, which they deserved, but we were right back at it in training last weekend, raring to go.
“We’ve had an enjoyable couple of months so nobody really wanted the break so we are glad to be back with a big game to look forward to now, and I know we’ll have a massive crowd coming down behind us too.
“We feel we probably have something to prove against Cork too. Cork are scrapping to put a bit of distance between themselves and Sligo and they’ll be going into this game looking to win it having beaten us already in Turner’s Cross and pushing us close in Dalymount.
“Our first game away to Cork was a frustrating one as it was one of those performances where we created more than enough chances in the first half of the game to have a comfortable lead but not taking our chances in those periods when we were well on top caught up with us in the second half and we went home with nothing.
“But that game was at the start of the season, a long time ago now, and we are in a very different place in terms of confidence in the group, our form and the togetherness of the players and our fans, but we do go down there with a bit to prove.
“We’ve had to work hard for every result we’ve got this season and having lost down in Cork already this season, there is nobody under illusions in terms of how hard we will have to work in this one.”
With seven wins from their last nine games, it is hard to fault Bohs’ run of form over the past two months.
But Reynolds says nobody is resting on their laurels; he remains frustrated that they left points behind them in the deats to Waterford and Drogheda United last month, and is demanding that his side be more ruthless in front of goal.
He added: “As a group we have spoken about being more clinical in front of goal. We’ve been on a great run of form the last couple of months but we don’t want to settle for that.
“We left points behind us in that period too in the games against Waterford and Drogheda, and given how well we played, we should have been more comfortable in the recent wins against Derry City and Drogheda too.
“The pleasing thing for me is that we have such a determined group. Nobody is patting themselves on the back, they are all pushing each other to get better. We know we can be better, and we have a really good group who are all striving to drive standards further.”
Team news
Alex Lacey (hamstring) and Connor Parsons (hamstring) are both ruled out.