Salthill Devon 2 - 4 Sligo Rovers
Credit:
Sligo Rovers recorded their first victory of 2011 with a 4-2 win against Salthill Devon in a pre-season friendly on Saturday in Drom.
Goals from Matthew Blinkhorn, John Russell, Rafael Cretaro and John Dillon gave saw off a brave challenge from the Galway side who troubled Rovers at times. Paul Cook took the game as an opportunity to give a appearances to two trial players, Aaron Greene and Gavin Snodgrass. Rafael Cretaro also made his first appearance for the Bit O'Red since beginning his third stint at the club.
On a wet and windy day in Salthill, it was the First Division club who drew first blood as their central midfielder Chiprian Straut broke away from the Rovers defence to hit the ball past Ciaran Kelly in the 19th minute. Rovers were level four minutes later when a Daryl Horgan corner from the left, met with the head of Matthew Blinkhorn.
Rovers could have gone ahead twelve minutes later but a Jason McGuinness header didn't have the accuracy to test the Salthill goalkeeper. But a minute later Rovers took the lead. Richie Ryan's corner was contested by a number of players in the home box but it was John Russell who got the clearest touch, heading the ball into the Salthill net. Rovers had a shout for a third goal turned down in the 41st minute when Eoin Doyle's header looked like it had crossed the line but neither the referee or the linesman entertained the notion.
Rovers introduced Alan Kirby, Derek Foran and Rafael Cretaro at half time and almost scored from the kick off. After some good work from the impressive Daryl Horgan, his cross found Alan Kirby who's header was just wide of the mark. Despite the early pressure Salthill equalized soon after, Straut scoring his second of the day, almost a copy of his first as Ciaran Kelly was again unable to reach the ball, this time to his left. .
Sligo brought in Mark McGoldrick and John Dillon in place of Daryl Horgan and Eoin Doyle. Doyle had a good chance on the hour mark but the Salthill keeper was left untroubled. On the 75 minute mark, Alan Keane beat two Salthill defenders only to see his shot saved by the legs of the Devon keeper. The resulting corner was met by Gavin Peers but his header only fell as far as Cretaro who didn't manage to get enough power behind his own header. .
Paul Cook introduced his two trial players for the afternoon shortly after. Aaron Greene, a former Galway and Bohemians winger and young Donegal keeper Gavin Snodgrass. Sligo pulled away from their opponents in the last ten minutes. Goals from Cretaro and Dillon on 81 and 83 minutes respectively seeing Rovers home and dry. Cretaro firstly getting on the end of a McGoldrick pass from the right to place the ball past the Salthill keeper, and Iarfliath Davoren getting forward to find Dillon who slotted the ball home easily for Rovers' fourth..
Up next for Rovers is a meeting with Castlebar Celtic this Saturday at 5pm in Castlebar before a trip the following Friday to Cork to face Cork City in Musgrave Park..
Goals from Matthew Blinkhorn, John Russell, Rafael Cretaro and John Dillon gave saw off a brave challenge from the Galway side who troubled Rovers at times. Paul Cook took the game as an opportunity to give a appearances to two trial players, Aaron Greene and Gavin Snodgrass. Rafael Cretaro also made his first appearance for the Bit O'Red since beginning his third stint at the club.
On a wet and windy day in Salthill, it was the First Division club who drew first blood as their central midfielder Chiprian Straut broke away from the Rovers defence to hit the ball past Ciaran Kelly in the 19th minute. Rovers were level four minutes later when a Daryl Horgan corner from the left, met with the head of Matthew Blinkhorn.
Rovers could have gone ahead twelve minutes later but a Jason McGuinness header didn't have the accuracy to test the Salthill goalkeeper. But a minute later Rovers took the lead. Richie Ryan's corner was contested by a number of players in the home box but it was John Russell who got the clearest touch, heading the ball into the Salthill net. Rovers had a shout for a third goal turned down in the 41st minute when Eoin Doyle's header looked like it had crossed the line but neither the referee or the linesman entertained the notion.
Rovers introduced Alan Kirby, Derek Foran and Rafael Cretaro at half time and almost scored from the kick off. After some good work from the impressive Daryl Horgan, his cross found Alan Kirby who's header was just wide of the mark. Despite the early pressure Salthill equalized soon after, Straut scoring his second of the day, almost a copy of his first as Ciaran Kelly was again unable to reach the ball, this time to his left. .
Sligo brought in Mark McGoldrick and John Dillon in place of Daryl Horgan and Eoin Doyle. Doyle had a good chance on the hour mark but the Salthill keeper was left untroubled. On the 75 minute mark, Alan Keane beat two Salthill defenders only to see his shot saved by the legs of the Devon keeper. The resulting corner was met by Gavin Peers but his header only fell as far as Cretaro who didn't manage to get enough power behind his own header. .
Paul Cook introduced his two trial players for the afternoon shortly after. Aaron Greene, a former Galway and Bohemians winger and young Donegal keeper Gavin Snodgrass. Sligo pulled away from their opponents in the last ten minutes. Goals from Cretaro and Dillon on 81 and 83 minutes respectively seeing Rovers home and dry. Cretaro firstly getting on the end of a McGoldrick pass from the right to place the ball past the Salthill keeper, and Iarfliath Davoren getting forward to find Dillon who slotted the ball home easily for Rovers' fourth..
Up next for Rovers is a meeting with Castlebar Celtic this Saturday at 5pm in Castlebar before a trip the following Friday to Cork to face Cork City in Musgrave Park..
