Drogheda United manager Alan Mathews took comfort from his side's performance in their opening day defeat to Derry City, but he knows that there will be no easy games in 2009.

With the top flight reduced to ten teams, Mathews says that he expects the Premier Division to be extremely competitive this season. After performing well away to Derry City on the opening night of the season - when Mark Farren scored the winner for the Candystripes - the Drogs face Bray Wanderers at United Park this Friday night.

“We more than matched Derry City for long periods at the Brandywell last week," he said. "We finished the game strongly, especially in the last fifteen minutes, which was encouraging. Derry had to work very hard for their three points.

“It was always going to be a challenge to get a result up there, but it’s going to be a challenge for every team, even those teams who have loftier ambitions than ourselves this season.

“Many games are going to be tight affairs this season. The last time there was a ten-team league, it threw up a few surprises in terms of results, and I expect it to be no different this year. There will be no middle ground in the league this season, and each game is going to present different challenges for us.

“The Bray game is only the second league game of the season, and our first competitive match in front of our home support. We’re going to have to work hard, and play well, on Friday night against a tough Bray outfit. You have to earn wins in this league.

“We have a narrow squad, and have a few injury doubts going into this game, but injuries are part and parcel of football. John Paul Kelly went off injured against Derry, and didn’t train over the weekend or on Tuesday. We hope to have him resume training on Wednesday, giving him every chance to play in Friday night’s match. James Chambers and Paul Crowley also have minor knocks."