League Report: Bohemians 0 - 2 Sligo Rovers

Patrick O’Connor reports from Dalymount Park

Sligo Rovers continued their recent run of great form when they secured another three points with a 2-0 win over a disappointing Bohemians side before a large attendance at Dalymount Park on Friday night.

Rovers had sweet home wins against Shamrock Rovers and Derry City in recent weeks, but this was probably the sweetest of them all as it was away from home and was achieved with only ten players on the pitch for over half the match.

The three back-to-back wins now pushes them into joint fourth place on the table alongside Shamrock Rovers and fellow westerners Galway United.

Bohemians on the other hand seemed stuck in a rut and have now not won a match for almost two months, with their away win in Sligo in mid-May ironically being their last three pointer.

The opening phase of the game was very evenly balanced with both sides playing some nice football without really threatening the opposition goalkeeper at any stage.

The first of two key moments of drama however arrived in a three-minute period in the 35^th minute.

Ellis Chapman played a superb through ball to the impressive Wilson Waweru and he avoided the attention of the Bohs central defenders Jordan Flores and Cian Byrne to round keeper Kasper Chorazka and slot the ball into an empty net.

Their joy was short-lived however as on the resumption of play right winger Stephen Mallon made the long walk to the dressing room and Rovers were down to 10 players.

He needlessly tugged at Ross Tierney’s jersey in front referee Marc Lynch and having earlier picked up a yellow card for a foul, Lynch had no option but to flash him a second yellow and then a red card.

It remained one nil at the break and Bohs manager Alan Reynolds took advantage of the sending off by going three at the back at the start of the second half, withdrawing full back Paddy Kirk in favour of winger Declan McDaid.

He made further changes later in the half and for the last 30 minutes or so the Gypsies had three centre forwards on the pitch, James Akintunde, Filip Piszczek and Alex Greive but despite all the attacking options they could not find an equaliser.

Their cause was not helped by the superb goalkeeping of Ed McGinty who made some great saves from the chances Bohs did create in the latter stages of the game.

The final moment of drama arrived in the 95^th minute when Rovers went two nil ahead and secured all three points.

The home side won a free kick on the right touchline, Chorazka went up to the Rovers box for the kick, but a poor delivery meant that the ball did not clear the first defender.

The ball then broke to Chapman and with an open goal in front of him, he chipped the ball goalwards from all of 70 meters and it rolled across the goal line with Chorazka unable to get back in time to prevent it.

That last moment of drama probably summed up the night with everything going right for the Bit O’ Red and the Gypsies unable to catch a break anywhere!!

Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Cian Byrne, Jordan Flores (Leigh Kavanagh 46), Patrick Kirk (Declan McDaid 46), Martin Miller; James Clarke (Alex Grieve 63), Adam McDonnell (Archie Meekison 72), Ross Tierney; Oluwaseun Akintunde, Daniel Grant (Filip Piszczek 63), Dayle Rooney.

Subs not used: James Talbot, Jevon Mills, Aboubacar Keita, Nickson Okosun.

Booked: Declan McDaid (89).

Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty; Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson, Charlie Wiggett, Nando Zen Pijnaker; Ellis Chapman, Connor Malley (Simon Power 46), Niall Morahan; William Fitzgerald, Stephen Mallon, Wilson Waweru (Kailin Barlow 60).

Subs not used: Conor Walsh, Richard Brush, Kyle McDonagh, Colin Mooney, Daire Patton, Owen Elding, David Jonathan.

Booked: Stephen Mallon (1), Stephen Mallon (38), Nando Zen Pijnaker (59), Killian Barlow (74)

Sent off: Stephen Mallon (38).

Referee: Marc Lynch

Attendance: 4,119

extratime.com Player of the Match: Ed McGinty (Sligo Rovers)