Bray Wanderers 0 - 3 Sligo Rovers

• Seamus Egan
• Sat, Jul 02 2011


Sligo Rovers moved up to second in the Premier League table with a comprehensive victory at the Carlisle Grounds against Bray Wanderers on Friday night. Two goals from Matthew Blinkhorn and one from Eoin Doyle were enough to give Rovers their sixth win in eight games.

The visitors started much better than their opponents. The first goal for Paul Cook's team came after just three minutes. Alan Keane received the ball on the right hand side. His precise cross picked out Matthew Blinkhorn. Blinkhorn chested the ball down and volleyed it beautifully past Matt Gregg in the Bray goal.

The visitors should have gone two up on seven minutes. Bray's Derek Prendergast gave the ball away to Alan Kirby who advanced on goal and shot on target but he was denied by a fine save from Gregg.

However Paul Cook's men didn't have to wait long for their second. In the ninth minute Joseph Ndo and Alan Keane played a lovely one two down the right. Ndo crossed for Blinkhorn who side footed home from close range.

The closest that Bray came to scoring in the first half was when striker Chris Shields headed off target on 20 minutes. Captain Gary Dempsey was also off target with a long range shot.

The main reason that Sligo were so much in control in the first half was because they dominated in midfield. Captain Richie Ryan was particularly influential in dictating the play for the team from the West.

The second half was pretty similar to the first. Sligo continued to dominate in midfield. Bray had to wait until the 69th minute for their first shot on target. However Conor Murphy's effort was straight at Brendan Clarke.

It was no surprise when Sligo went three up in the 84th minute. There was some excellent play from Joseph Ndo down the right. Ndo's cross found the head of Eoin Doyle who headed home from six yards out to make it 3-0 to Rovers.

Bray did not create their best opportunity of the game until the 88th minute. Substitute John Mulroy played in Dean Zambra who was denied by Brendan Clarke in the Rovers goal, diving low to his right to make a fine save. Shane O'Neill shot over the top from the edge of the area soon after for Pat Devlin's men.

Paul Cook should be very impressed with his side's performance. They were in complete control for the majority of this game and following their win over Shamrock Rovers last week will feel that they are in with a chance of the title. However Pat Devlin will be concerned that it is now four defeats on the bounce for Bray, three of which have come at home.

Bray Wanderers: Matt Gregg; Shane O'Connor, Dane Massey, Adam Mitchell, Derek Prendergast; Gary Dempsey (captain), Daire Doyle (Dan McGuinness 71), Danny O'Connor (Shane O'Neill 59), Dean Zambra, Chris Shields; Conor Murphy (John Mulroy 73).
Subs not used: Brian Kane, Dave Webster, Sean Houston, Graham Kelly.

Bookings: Gary Dempsey (58), Adam Mitchell (88).

Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Alan Keane, Jason McGuinness, Gavin Peers, Aaron Greene; Joseph Ndo, Richie Ryan (captain), Alan Kirby (Danny Ventre 73), Raffaele Cretaro (Darren Horgan 81); Eoin Doyle, Matthew Blinkhorn (John Dillon 67).
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Derek Foran, John Russell, Mark McGoldrick.

Bookings: None.

Referee: Alan Kelly.
Attendance: 1,100 estimate.
Extratime.ie Man of the match: Joseph Ndo (Sligo Rovers).