- Alan Finn
- Sat, Mar 17 2012
Sligo Rovers have climbed up to fourth in the table tonight following a 1-0 home victory over Bohemians, who remain without a point after their opening three games.
Midfielder Lee Lynch secured the three points with his very first goal for the club after getting on the end of a Joseph Ndo free kick from just outside the box.
Bohemians were the first to threaten after just two minutes of action when Peter McMahon's curling strike beat Gary Rogers but hit the far post and bounced out of play.
Rovers had their first chance just three minutes later when Joseph Ndo laid a ball off to John Dillon. Unfortunately for the striker, his 25 yard effort was deflected and only earned the home side a corner.
Rafael Cretaro will be wondering how he didn't open the scoring in the 12 minutes when he got on the end of a sublime cross from Lee Lynch, but he failed to get enough power behind the ball to send it into the back of the net.
Rovers were looking the more likely to score as the first half went on, and Danny North was next to try his luck when he took a pass from Danny Ventre under control and went past the Bohs defenders, but shot just wide of goal.
The game had gone a bit quiet for a 10 minute period, but it burst into life when Romauld Boco forced a save from Craig Sexton and North rattled the crossbar with a header from the resulting corner.
With seconds remaining before half time, Dillon almost sent his side in with a 1-0 lead, and in style. His looping shot almost got the better of Sexton, but it just landed on top of the net.
Sligo picked up from where the left off in the second half, and it was Cretaro who had the first opportunity when North played him through, but he put his effort over the bar.
And Raf had another opportunity just minutes later, but the attack came to nothing as his shot went across the face of goal and the danger was eventually cleared.
Bohs were handed a rare opportunity in the 52 minute when they won a free kick 20 yards from goal. Peter McMahon wasted the opportunity however as he skewed it well wide.
When North and Boco combined to set up Ndo with a close range opportunity, the former Cameroon international looked destined to score, but a last ditch interception got rid of the ball as he attempted to poke it home.
They were getting closer with every shot it seemed and Cretaro, who was proving to be a handful, saw a great effort from the edge of the box strike the foot of the post.
That was only moments after he had been put through on goal. On that occasion Sexton rushed out and blocked the midfielder’s effort.
After 76 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken. Sligo Rovers won a free kick just outside the penalty area after Owen Heary had left out a hand to stop a Ross Gaynor cross.
Ndo looked set to whip a ball into the congested Bohs box, but instead he opted to lay it off to Lee Lynch who was waiting outside the area, and the young midfielder found the bottom right hand corner of Sexton's net with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
The game looked to have fizzed out after the goal, but Bohs were awarded a questionable free kick after 89 minutes when Gavin Peers was adjudged to have taken down Dave Mulcahy.
Karl Moore stepped up to take it, but it his effort was saved by Rogers who had very little to do for much of the game.
Neil Harney almost clinched a point right at the end when the visitors won another free and his effort wasn't too far away, though it went just over the bar.
Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Romauld Boco, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Ross Gaynor; Danny Ventre, John Dillon (Iarfhlaith Davoren, 74), Lee Lynch, Joseph Ndo; Rafael Cretaro (David Cawley, 89), Danny North
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Jake Dykes, Marty Owens, Mark McGoldrick, Liam Martin.
Bookings: Peers (71), Lynch (77).
Bohemians: Craig Sexton; Owen Heary, Evan McMillan, Danny Joyce (John O'Connor, 64), Kevin Feely; Luke Byrne, Dwayne Wilson (Keith Buckley, 70), Dave Mulcahy, Karl Moore, Peter McMahon (Neil Harney, 81); Dinny Corcoran
Subs not used: Andrew McNulty, Roberto Lopes, Ryan McEvoy, Sean Stewart.
Bookings: Feely (70).
Referee: Graham Kelly.
Attendance: 2,573
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Lee Lynch (Sligo Rovers).
