Bohemians travelled to Gibraltar with a 2-0 advantage from their first leg against St Joseph’s last week, but Alan Reynolds has told his Bohemians players: “It’s only half-time and we have work to do.”
All five hundred tickets that went on sale to club members for tomorrow’s second leg sold out in a minute nine days ago, such is the demand from supporters who have not had an opportunity to attend an away game in Europe since 2012.
The interim years saw Bohs play UEFA Conference League qualifiers in 2020 and 2021, but supporters were not permitted to attend the away legs of any of those four ties due to Covid restrictions.
It is a different story this time around. As well as those fortunate to get tickets for the Europa Point Stadium tomorrow, hundreds more have descended upon Gibraltar and will watch from the Market Place Square.
There is no denying the long-awaited sense of occasion among the travelling support, but Reynolds insists his players need to focus on the job at hand.
He said: “Our message to the team, and to the fans as well, is that it’s only half-time and we still have a lot of work to do.
“St Joseph’s put it right up to us last week, particularly in the first half where they created plenty of chances. It took Dougie’s penalty for us to take the lead, so they’re a good team and they are well organised.
“We obviously got a second late on – a brilliant header by Connor Parsons – which I felt we deserved for our performance in the second half.
“We pushed and pushed in injury-time trying to get a third which would have given us a bit of a cushion coming over here but at 2-0, St Joseph’s will look to put it right up to us again. They’re a big physical side, and they are a real threat at set-pieces as well.
“They are obviously used to playing in these temperatures too. We’ve had to get used to hot weather at home too over the past month, but this will be up to another level again.
“It’s an artificial surface here too, a pitch they are used to but something else that we’ll have to get to grips with, and get to grips with quickly. It’s going to be a really tough game, and we need everyone to be at it.”
The prize on offer is a second qualifying round tie against Connah’s Quay of Wales or FC Ballkani of Kosovo, and the buzz and sense of anticipation among the travelling Bohs supporters in Gibraltar is not lost on Reynolds.
He said: “We’ve spoken with the players all year about how important this season is for our supporters. Between the last year in Dalymount factor and the excitement among so many of our fans getting to go away in Europe for the first time, it’s an important time for everyone at the club, and it’s a privilege for every one of us involved to be a part of that, something that’s not lost on any of us.
“We have the likes of Detser (Derek Pender) on our backroom team who has been at the club for 15 years now, as club captain and then a coach here through all the ups and downs.
“He’s been here before when the excitement of qualifying for Europe came around only for supporters not to be able to travel to the games because of Covid, so we are fully aware how important this is for everyone at the club who has made the trip over and those who will be watching back home, and we all want to make it a time to remember.
“Our supporters will have a big part to play as well, as they always do, particularly when we’re away from home.
“They’re obviously excited and giddy to be away in Europe but they know from last week’s game that this tie isn’t over, and I know they’ll get right behind the lads. We need everyone to rise to the occasion and embrace it.”
St Joseph’s v Bohemians (KO 5pm Irish time) will be streamed exclusively from play.bohemians.ie