League Report: Bray Wanderers 0 - 1 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers kept their hopes of clinching fourth place alive, after winning 1-0 against Bray Wanderers. The Bit O’Red were on top through-out the first half but had to wait until just after half time for Eamon Zayed to score his first goal for the club. Sligo couldn’t find a second goal though, and Bray will rue missing chances towards the end of the game.

Sligo dominance began as soon as the referee blew his whistle to start the game. Eamon Zayed had two very early chances but both were easily saved by Bray goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness.

But it was Bray who had the best chance of the first half. Graham Kelly’s low corner was struck by David Cassidy. The ball deflected off another played and Gary Rodgers had to get down low to hold onto the ball.

Sligo seemed to have a revolving front four that kept Bray under immense pressure, and Daryl Kavanagh was the next to get the ball in the box. He twisted and turned but couldn’t get a shot away as he went down under a challenge with Sligo players calling for a penalty.

At every opportunity, Sligo tried to push their whole team into their opponents half, with Alan Keane and Daniel Ledwith the source of most of the side’s crosses. Both were close to finding Zayed in the box but the Bray defence cleared well.

Sean Maguire was next to go close. He and Michael Barker tussled in the corner before Barker slipped. Maguire nipped in for the ball and he shot at McGuinness from a tight angle. In hindsight, he should have pulled it back to the waiting Sligo players.

The game lulled as Sligo were waiting for a tough Bray defence to crack. But it wasn’t coming, mainly due to Adam Mitchell. The Bray man somehow blocked a shot from Daryl Kavanagh when he seemed certain to score.

Evan McMillan, the makeshift forward, then went close, with a flick on off his outstretched boot hitting the post as the referee signaled for half time.

And then Sligo were ahead. A header up high from Evan McMillan wasn’t dealt with by the Bray defence and the ball deflected off Niall Cooney into the path of Zayed. The recent signing then let fly a sweet strike from fifteen yards to give Sligo the lead.

Bray were dazed by the goal and made mistakes at the back soon after the goal. A loose clearance was pounced upon by Alan Keane, who made a surging run into the box. He was manhandled off the ball and everyone was sure it was a penalty. Except the referee. The referee made the even odder decision to book Alan Keane for diving instead.

Bray then conjured up a great chance to get themselves back into the game. Zambra played a lovely through ball to Cassidy. With Rodgers running out, the Bray midfielder attempted to dink the ball over him but the ball drifted wide of the target.

The Seagulls would threaten to attack now and again, but Sligo were holding on to the majority of possession. Youngster Sean Maguire grew into the game the longer it went on and he did well to create space in midfield before finding McMillan with a pass. The defender-forward looked to have a heavy touch but he reached the ball before McGuinness and toe-poked it by him. But Mitchell was on hand to clear the ball before the lurking Zayed scored.

But Bray came back, and just like against Athlone Town, there best pieces of play came in the last few minutes.

First Jake Kelly had a looping header pushed over the bar by Gary Rodgers before Mitchell headed just over from the resulting corner. Akinade also went close with a header but his effort went wide.

In the last minute, Maguire nearly wrapped up the points but his snapshot was smartly saved by McGuinness. It didn’t matter though; the one goal was enough for Sligo as Bray look elsewhere for invaluable points.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Michael Barker (Jake Kelly 78), Adam Mitchell , Niall Cooney, Joe Gorman; Graham Kelly, Dean Zambra; Ismahil Akinade, David Cassidy, Shane O’Neill (Robert Maloney 58); Philip Hughes.
Subs not used: Gavin Sheridan, Shane O’Connor, Gareth McDonagh, Ryan Coombes, Sean Hurley.

Booked: Mitchell (45+1), Maloney (65).

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rodgers; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Kalen Spillane, Daniel Ledwith (Regan Donelon 74); Daryl Kavanagh (Paul O’Conor 63), Seamus Conneely, David Cawley, Sean Maguire; Eamon Zayed (Ruairi Keating ), Evan McMillan.
Subs not used: Ryan McManus, Liam Flatley, Richard Brush, Gary Armstrong.

Booked: Keane (50), Ledwith (52), E McMillan (89), Peers (89).

Referee: Jim McKell

Attendance: 180 (estimate)

Extratime Man of the Match: Alan Keane (Sligo Rovers)