Mohammed Boudiaf's second-half header made sure that Longford Town left Waterford with a point after Darragh Lynch’s own-goal was cancelled out at the RSC.
The draw puts an end to a difficult week for Stephen Henderson and his team as they opened their First Division campaign with a loss to Athlone Town and Crumlin United knocked them out of the Leinster Senior Cup.
As for the Blues, who controlled the game and were rightfully ahead at the break, it was a stinging result after their derby win in Wexford.
Danny Searle named an unchanged team from that 3-0 win at Ferrycarrig Park and they almost scored inside 20 seconds through Christopher Conn-Clarke. This went out for a corner, and it was the first of nine set pieces that the Blues took in the opening half hour.
Their third, put in by Barry Baggley, went to Lynch at the back post and the ball went in off the Longford forward. Henderson's team were determined to put this week behind them and they immediately pushed high into the Waterford half. Lynch looked determined to make things right and one of his first balls in would have found Aodh Dervin if not for good positioning by Baggley.
Then Derek Daly managed to get into space inside the area and his attempt got blocked by Eddie Nolan.
As quickly as Longford’s advance started it was over as Waterford wrestled control of the game back.
The best opportunity they created during this spell was a Baggley corner that went to the back post and Jack Brady clawed this out.
Once this flurry of set-pieces died down, a cross from Tunmise Sobowale came off Brady and landed at the feet of an unmarked Connor Parsons. The Longford goalkeeper reacted straight away by spreading himself and blocking the shot on the line.
Waterford almost doubled their lead through Christopher Conn-Clarke in the final few seconds of the first half, but his driven shot went centimetres above the intended target.
Stephen Henderson changed things around at the break by bringing on Jamal Ibrahim, and this added a much needed sense of urgency into Longford’s forward line. It quickly paid off as Shane Elworthy was able to cross to the back post and a low header from Boudiaf knocked this in.
The Blues’ finished the strongest with a flurry of late chances, but none of these really tested Brady and the Longford back-line. Conn-Clarke went down at one point and he thought he won his side a penalty, but this was waved on by the referee.
In the end, Longford comfortably hung on to kick-start their season with a point in the south-east.
Waterford FC: Paul Martin; Ryan Burke, Eddie Nolan, Barry Baggley, Connor Parsons (Charles Ondo 57), Christopher Conn-Clarke, Tunmise Sobowale, Richard Idowu (Shane Griffin 73), Giles Philips, Dean McMenamy, Wassim Aouachria (Thomas Olowu 57).
Longford Town: Jack Brady; Shane Elworthy, Derek Daly (Mohammed Boudiaf 37), Oisin Hand, Joshua Giurgi (Francis Campbell 81), Gary Armstrong (Adam Verdon 68), Cian Byrne, Aodh Dervin, Viktor Serdeniuk, Kyle O’Connor, Darragh Lynch (Jamal Ibrahim 45).
Referee: Gavin Colfer.
Athlone Town, Bray Wanderers, Cobh Ramblers and Galway United have maximum points after two games.
Athlone came from behind to beat visitors Finn Harps 3-1 at the Athlone Town Stadium. Ryan Rainey fired the visitors in front from the penalty spot just before the break. The hosts were level shortly after the resumption with Oisin Duffy on the mark. Donal Curtin then had them in front on 66 minutes, before Jamar Campion-Hinds' deflected shot sealed the win on 90. The result leaves Harps pointless after two games.
League newcomers Kerry FC are still looking for their first points after they too fell to a 3-1 defeat to Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Cole Omorehiomwan and Chris Lyons were on the mark for the victors in the opening half. Leonardo Gaxha gave Kerry hope when he goaled on 50. However, seven minutes later, Cole Omorehiomwan restored Bray's two-goal advantage.
Dale Holland struck the winner for Cobh Ramblers on 83 minutes as they beat Wexford Youths 2-1 at St Colman's Park. Ramblers took the lead in the 11th minute through a fine finish from Tiernan O'Brien, but Wexford levelled on 14 when a Conor Levingston cross was headed into his own net by Pierce Phillips.
Elsewhere, Robert Slevin's goal on 37 minutes was enough for Galway United to beat Treaty United 1-0.
