- Harry Manning
- Sun, Jul 24 2016
Longford Town picked up their first point in five games after they twice clawed Sligo Rovers back to claim a hard-fought 2-2 draw at the City Calling Stadium on Saturday evening.
Raffaele Cretaro opened the scoring for the visitors before a Rhys Gorman strike ensured the sides were level heading into the break.
However, Rovers regained their advantage shortly after the restart when Phil Roberts hit a beautifully guided free-kick into the top of Ryan Coulter’s net.
Five minutes after the hour mark Eddie Dsane capitalised on a poor clearance attempt by Gary Boylan to pull Longford level once more which proved enough to seal The Town a precious point.
The Bit O’Red dominated the opening stages of the contest and took the lead just after the half hour mark. Liam Martin swung a glorious ball into the Longford box where Cretaro was on hand to power his header home for his 75th goal in a Sligo shirt.
Minutes before the half-time whistle, Longford levelled proceedings when Kaleem Simon’s wicked corner ball flew onto the foot of Gorman who confidently placed it into the top of the net from the back post.
Tony Cousins’ men had a brilliant opportunity to take a lead into the break when Don Cowan moved in front of his man to head the ball onto the target, however, Micheál Schlingermann had eyes in it all the way and made the comfortable catch.
Within minutes of the Derek Tomney’s second half-whistle, Sligo found themselves back in front after Roberts’ perfectly placed free-kick beat Coulter and nestled into the top corner.
Yann Mvita Nkelu had a fantastic opportunity to bring the scores level once more when he got on the end of a Dillon cross, however, his effort flashed wide of the target.
Alas, five minutes later The Town were level after Boylan’s mishit clearance fell into the path of Dsane who made no mistake in rifling the ball into the bottom corner.
Chances were few and far between for the remainder of the game meaning a point a piece was how it finished.
Longford remain the basement club of the Premier Division. However, the point brings them within three of nearest rivals Wexford Youths. Sligo, meanwhile, swap seventh for sixth as the point puts them one ahead of St Patrick’s Athletic.
Longford Town: Ryan Coulter; Conor Powell, Noel Haverty, Mark Hughes, Kealan Dillon(Jamie Mulhall 70), Don Cowan (Lee Duffy 87), Yann Mvita Nkelu, Kaleem Simon, Peter McGlynn (David O’Sullivan 67), Eddie Dsane, Rhys Gorman.
Subs not used: Paul Skinner, Phillip Gannon, Tristan Noack Hofmann, Pat Flynn.
Bookings: Noel Haverty (15) Peter McGlynn (34).
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Jimmy Keohane, Gavin Peers, Gary Boylan, Craig Roddan, John Russell, Liam Martin, Kieran Sadlier, Phil Roberts (Daniel Kearns 54); Raffaele Cretaro.
Subs not used: Ciaran Nugent Mick Leahy, Gary Armstrong, Mikey Place, Chris Lyons, Jason Hunt.
Bookings: Kieran Sadlier (34), Jimmy Keohane (43), Craig Roddan (58), Gavin Peers (61), Raffaele Cretaro (83)
Referee: Derek Tomney
Extratime Man of the Match: Eddie Dsane (Longford Town)
