Sligo Rovers 2 - 1 Bray Wanderers

• David Goulden
• Wed, Oct 06 2010


Sligo Rovers slipped back to fourth position in the Airtricity League Premier Division on Tuesday night despite Alan Keane's injury time winning penalty which gave Rovers a 2-1 win over in-form Bray Wanderers. St. Pat's 3-0 win over Drogheda United means Pat's sit in third place, by goal difference only.

Despite being announced as unfit for the game, Sligo's Benin international Romuald Boco took his place on the wing which meant an unchanged side for Rovers from the win over Drogheda on Saturday night. Bray had Jake Kelly, John Mulroy, Sean Houston and Stephen Brennan on the sideline but experienced 'keeper Matt Gregg passed a late fitness test to start for the Wicklow club.

It was Boco who had the first chance of the game in the opening minute. His attempted chip sailed wide of Gregg's right post before former Wanderer Gary McCabe had the ball in the net in the eight minute, but the assistant referee judged McCabe in an offside position. Bray striker Ian Touhy found himself one on one with Sligo 'keeper John Gibson, with Gibson doing well to collect the ball at Touhy's feet.

Matthew Blinkhorn again had the ball in the net for the home side, only for the clear use of his hand to control the ball to be spotted by referee Derek Tomney on 33 minutes. Blinkhorn was dually booked for his Maradona-esque attempt. McCabe went close again for Sligo just before half time when he was thwarted by Gregg in a one on one situation, the former Bohs 'keeper doing well to get a touch on McCabe's low shot.

Gregg was in the thick of it again at the opening of the second half. Boco controlled the ball at the edge of the six yard box before volleying the ball towards goal, but Gregg acrobatically managed to tip it wide. Rovers looked like they would eventually carve open the Bray defence, but it was moment of brilliance from Bray's Gary Dempsey that opened the scoring. Richie Ryan caught Chris Shields' foot at the edge of Sligo's penalty area and on 69 minutes from the free kick, Dempsey curled the ball over the wall and over Gibson's head to give Pat Devlin's side the lead.

But Rovers were not to be beaten. Two goals in the final 15 minutes, one from Matthew Bliknhorn and a penalty from Alan Keane was enough to give Rovers all three points. On 76 minutes Blinkhorn met with a powerful header, a McCabe cross before Eoin Doyle was taken down in the box by a Bray defender in injury time. Bray defender Dave Webster was sent off by Tomney for protesting his decision just before Keane slotted home the penalty to give Paul Cook's men the points.

Sligo Rovers: John Gibson, Alan Keane, Jim Lauchlan, Gavin Peers, Iarfliath Davoren, Romuald Boco (Eoin Doyle '68), Richie Ryan, John Russell, Gary McCabe, Joey Ndo, Matthew Blinkhorn
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Conor O'Grady, Danny Ventre, John Dillon

Bray Wanderers: Matt Gregg, Dave Webster, Adam Mitchell, Derek Prendergast, Dane Massey, Dean Zambara, Gary Dempsey, Danny O'Connor, Daire Doyle, Ian Touhy (Shane O'Neill '87), Chris Shields
Subs not used: Colm Tresson, Graham Kelly, Nicky Byrne,
Sent off: Webster (90+)

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin)
Attendance: 1,500 (est)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Bray Wanderers' Matt Gregg