Waterford held their nerve to progress to the next stage of the SSE Airtricity League Playoffs with a hat trick in the last half hour from substitute Romeo Akachukwu against a resolute and determined Athlone Town.

Athlone’s preparations were rattled in the warm up as they lost Jamar Campion-Hinds to a late knock and he was replaced by Matthew Baker, they would also lose Jack Kavanagh to injury in the opening ten minutes to handicap the underdog’s chances even more.

Waterford enjoyed the lion’s share of the opening half hour as they rained down crosses and shots on Enda Minogue’s goal but the pre-match favourites just couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Midway through the opening half, the division’s top scorer, Ronan Coughlan was upended in the box and despite the cries from the two thousand fans in attendance the referee adjudged the Blue’s striker to have been the offender and gave a free against the sharp shooter for simulation.

Ten minutes before the break Athlone nearly found a goal of their own. A long range free kick was powered through the wall by Van Geenan. Sargent parried the ball and recover to smother follow up effort before his team mates regathered and cleared the danger.

The visitors continued to counter attack and on forty minutes Waterford had to thank their keeper Sam Sargent again as after a calamity of errors Valerii Dolia almost snuck in to toe poke it home. Sargent closed the angle and forced the Ukrainian to send his effort wide of the goal to leave it goalless at the break.

Waterford controlled proceedings through the early stages of the second period but couldn’t find a way to goal. Youngster Romeo Akachukwu came on just after the hour mark and within four minutes he had the ball in the back of the net.

Ronan Coughlan found his way through both Athlone players around him, burst into the box and pulled the ball back to Akachukwu who calmly applied the finishing touches and put the home team supporters wild.

Disaster would strike four minutes later as Athlone would get an opportunity to draw level when a penalty was awarded for blatantly dragging down Frantz Pierrot in the corner of the box as he moved towards goal. A double booking, firstly for Osede who committed the foul, followed by a further card for Ronald Idowu for his protests.

Pierrot picked himself up and sent Sargent the wrong way to equalise for the midlanders.

Athlone grew in confidence but would be hit with a hammer blow when Waterford broke quickly and once again Coughlan drew the defenders and play an inch perfect pass into the path of Akachukwu who drove the ball to the bottom corner to turn the momentum of the game once again with a dozen minutes left on the clock.

Ronan Coughlan had an opportunity to seal the game as it ticked over the 90 minute mark as he broke through on goal but Minogue was able to touch it around the post to deny Coughlan the goal his performance deserved.

It would fall to Akachukwu to seal the game off and deliver his first hat trick for Waterford as with the last kick of the game he broke through on goal and gave Minogue no chance with his calm finish to the bottom corner.

The Blues now progress to the next stage of the playoff series against either Cobh Ramblers or Wexford next week.