Preview
PajimonRight, so I'm sitting here with a cold one in hand, and the stats for this one are doing the talking for me. Longford Town versus Athlone Town, First Division, and the home/away numbers are the most telling thing I've seen in a long while.
Longford Town at home over their last 20 home games — and I'll be honest, those 20 games span 12 months so the older ones dilute the picture a bit — have picked up 11 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses. That's 1.8 points per game, scoring 1.6 a game and conceding just 1.05. Their most recent home outing was a 2-1 win over Cork City on 26 September, and before that they lost 0-2 to Treaty United at home on 12 September. So it's not a perfect run, but the overall home record is strong.
Now flip it around and look at Athlone Town on the road. Over 20 away games, they've managed 4 wins, 4 draws and 12 losses. That's 0.8 points per game, scoring 1.1 and conceding 1.6. Their last two away trips ended in draws — 3-3 at Cobh Ramblers on 25 September and 2-2 at UCD on 11 September. They haven't won away in a while, and the aggregate numbers back that up. 12 losses in 20 away games is a tough look.
The head-to-head at this venue is thin. Just one recent meeting within the last 12 months: a 1-1 draw on 4 May. The reverse venue at Athlone's ground shows them winning 2 of 3 against Longford, so they're not a team to dismiss entirely. And they did beat Longford 2-1 at their own ground on 7 August, just two months ago.
The counter-argument is real. Athlone's last 10 games across all venues show 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses — 2 points per game. They're in a scoring form, with 5 of their last 5 games going over 2.5 goals. That's a team that's been finding the net and keeping it up. So you can't just look at the away record and say they're dead.
But here's the thing, and I'll say it the way I'd say it over a braai: when you put Longford's home record against Athlone's away record, the gap is massive. 11 wins to 4. 1.8 points per game to 0.8. Longford score more and concede less at home than Athlone do away. That's the story, and I'd rather back that than a team that's been drawing on the road and losing more than half their away games.
Key Points:
- Longford Town home record: 11W 3D 6L in 20 games, 1.8 PPG, 1.6 scored per game
- Athlone Town away record: 4W 4D 12L in 20 games, 0.8 PPG, 1.1 scored per game
- Athlone's last two away games were draws (3-3, 2-2)
- H2H at Longford's ground: 1-1 draw on 4 May 2026
- Athlone's recent all-venues form is strong: 6W 2D 2L in 10 games
My pick: Longford Town home win.