League Report: Bray Wanderers 1 - 0 Sligo Rovers

Another goal scored at home, another victory for Bray Wanderers as an Alan McNally tap-in helped them overcome a fighting Sligo Rovers side 1-0.

It was a fantastic start from the Seagulls when they managed to go in front after seven minutes. Captain Dave Cassidy put the ball into the box after a corner was cleared to him and striker Chris Lyons managed to get a shot off. Unluckily for him it came back off the post but luckily for Bray Alan McNally was on hand to bundle the rebound into the net.

Sligo tried to equalize soon after but Stephen McGuinness got down well to save from Gary Armstrong just after the kick-off for the goal.

McGuinness was certainly the busier goalkeeper in the first half. The Bray netminder stood up well to a Morten Nielsen shot in the twenty third minute before he was called into action soon after.

Armstrong attacked down the left hand side and crossed the ball along the edge of the box where it found Raffaele Cretaro. The stand-in right back cut inside to unleash a fierce drive towards the near corner but McGuinness got a strong hand to it to divert it out.

Eighteen year-old Liam Flatley was the next to try his luck after great passing play from Sligo but once again McGuinness proved to be a brick wall for the Seasiders and saved comfortably. Sligo then had arguably their best chance of the game.

In the thirtieth minute, a freekick from the left by Danny Ledwith caused problems in the Seagulls box. Eoin Wearen reacted quickest after a mistake and finally got a shot past McGuinness. Unfortunately for the Sligo midfielder, Niall Cooney was in the right place to clear off the line.

A Ryan McEvoy long shot that just went over the bar was only a brief break from Sligo’s attacking and the western side went close after some good build-up play. Cretaro got forward once more and crossed the ball into the box. It just missed Wearen but rolled out to Ryan McManus, who then shot past McGuinness but across the goal. Armstrong was there to tap the ball in but Cooney once again made a great block on the line to prevent the equalizer.

After the break, Sligo went more attacking with Dinny Corcoran coming on up front in place of defensive midfielder Ryan McManus. Try as they might though, the Bit O’Red just couldn’t get past the Bray’s defence. In fact Bray had the first real chance of the second half, Richard Brush needing to save a bouncing shot from Gareth McDonagh.

Armstrong was Sligo’s most inventive player as the second half continued but it was again home side who had the next chance as Brush saved another shot from McDonagh.

The game slowly petered out as Sligo grew more and more desperate for an equalizer with Bray happy to defend. Armstrong did test McGuinness but the goalkeeper was alert to beat away the attacker’s cross in the seventy-third minute.

Bray ended the game the better team as both Chris Lyons and Luke Gallagher had shots blocked before substitute Gallagher forced Brush into making a save in the last minute of the game after good play from McDonagh and fellow sub Onwubiko.

The win means Bray move out of eleventh place for the first time this season, vindicating the decision to change manager, while in drop Sligo, who now wonder whether they have made the right one too.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Hugh Douglas (Luke Gallagher 79mins), Alan McNally, Niall Cooney, Michael Barker; John Sullivan, Ryan McEvoy; Gareth McDonagh, Graham Kelly, David Cassidy; Chris Lyons (Emeka Onwubiko 86 mins).

Subs not used: Peter Durrad, Brian Kane, Jack Memery, James O’Donnell, David Scully.

Booked: Graham Kelly

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Raffaele Cretaro, Gavin Peers, Jake Dykes, Daniel Ledwith; David Cawley, Ryan McManus (Dinny Corcoran (46 mins), Eoin Wearen; Gary Armstrong, Morten Nielsen (Morten Nielsen 53mins), Liam Flatley (Alan Keane 65mins).

Subs not used: Ryan Coulter, Gary Boylan.

Booked: Jake Dykes

Referee: Ryan Matthews.

Extratime Man of the Match: Stephen McGuinness