Following their defeat to Bohemian on Friday night, Galway United manager John Caulfield stated that Monday’s game against Waterford was his side’s biggest game of the season so far, and despite that pressure, they picked up all three points.

And while the Galway players tested the patience of their supporters against Waterford at times with their defending, they delivered the goods in the second half, to pick up an important victory against the men from the southeast.

In this physical affair at Terryland, the hosts started on the front foot, and they almost took the lead in the sixth minute, when Matthew Wolfe’s left-footed drive from outside the box smashed off the post.

Minutes later however, the tribesmen took the lead, when Kris Twardek finished past Stephen McMullan in the Waterford goal, after a brilliant pass by Aaron Bolger split the Blues defence.

Three minutes of chaos, though, saw Jon Daly’s side incredibly take the lead. Firstly, Luke Heeney levelled matters in the 34th minute with a glancing header. Two minutes later, Carlow native Padraig Amond put the visitors in front, after he rifled the ball past Evan Watts in the Galway goal.

Incredibly, just before the interval, the Connacht side levelled matters. Bolger was fouled in the Waterford penalty box, and David Hurley scored the resulting penalty.

With just under half an hour remaining, the hosts retook the lead when Twardek grabbed his second goal, his right footed effort found the back of the Waterford net following neat play by Hurley.

New signing Frantz Pierrot looked to have secured victory for Galway when he scrambled the ball into the net late on, but Tommy Lonergan responded instantly from the penalty spot to make it 4-3 and United hung on to secure all three points.

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