Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Sligo Rovers vs. Bray Wanderers match report

A 90th minute penalty converted by Alan Keane saw Sligo Rovers come from behind to beat Bray Wanderers at The Showgrounds.
Keane drilled home his second spot-kick in two games after substitute Eoin Doyle had been fouled inside the area in a dramatic finale.
Bray had taken the lead through Gary Dempsey's superb 69th minute free-kick, before Matthew Blinkhorn levelled with a header on 76 minutes, and Keane won it from the spot with Dave Webster sent-off for arguing the penalty decision.
Rovers were given a boost before kick-off, when Romuald Boco passed a fitness test on his injured ankle and was cleared to play, allowing Paul Cook to name an unchanged side from that which defeated Drogheda last weekend.
Bray keeper Matt Gregg also passed a fitness test to start, but Jake Kelly, John Mulroy, Sean Houston and Stephen Brennan all missed out through injury.
Boco had the first chance inside the opening minute when he was set loose close to goal, but his attempted chip missed the target.
Rovers did have the ball in the net on eight minutes, but Gary McCabe was offside when he latched onto John Russell's through-ball and finished.
Sligo keeper John Gibson was also called into action in a lively opening, when he dived at the feet of Ian Tuohy to make the save.
Russell went close to breaking the deadlock on the 20th minute mark, when he turned his man and fired narrowly wide at the edge of the area.
Blinkhorn tried to hoodwink the officials with a Maradona-style handball when challenging for a high Keane delivery on 33 minutes, but got only a booking off referee Derek Tomney for his efforts.
But it was Bray that had the opening half's best chance, when Danny O'Connor and Tuohy combined to pick out Dean Zambra inside the area, and his shot came back off the post.
Rovers' best chance of the half shortly after when McCabe was put through one-on-one with Matt Gregg, but the netminder got an important touch to deny the former Bray winger.
Rovers enjoyed a bright start to the second half, with Boco forcing a decent save from Gregg with a skilful shot after he flicked the ball up for himself at the edge of the area.
Joseph Ndo's resultant corner was only cleared as far as Richie Ryan outside the box, and his low shot narrowly missed the target.
But Bray took the lead against the run of play on 69 minutes, when Ryan was penalised for a foul on Chris Shields at the edge of the box, and Dempsey curled the ball into the top corner.
But the response from the home side was excellent, with McCabe crossing from the right on 76 minutes, and Blinkhorn rising highest to steer the ball past Gregg for a deserved equaliser.
The striker had the ball in the net against five minutes later, but Russell was offside when he raced onto Ndo's pass in the build-up.
But Rovers secured the win when Keane kept his nerve to dispatch the spot-kick to the bottom corner of the net.
Sligo Rovers: 19 John Gibson; 2 Alan Keane, 4 Gavin Peers, 20 Jim Lauchlan, 3 Iarfhlaith Davoren; 21 Gary McCabe, 6 Richie Ryan (Captain), 8 John Russell, 15 Joseph Ndo, 18 Romuald Boco (11 Eoin Doyle 68); 9 Matthew Blinkhorn.
Subs not used: 1 Ciaran Kelly, 5 Danny Ventre, 7 John Dillon, 12 Conor O'Grady.
Booked: Blinkhorn (31), Ryan (72).
Bray Wanderers: 1 Matt Gregg; 2 Dave Webster, 4 Adam Mitchell, 5 Derek Prendergast, 3 Dane Massey; 7 Dean Zambra, 6 Gary Dempsey, 8 Danny O'Connor (Captain), 10 Daire Doyle, 11 Ian Tuohy (17 Shane O'Neill 87); 9 Chris Shields.
Subs not used: 12 Colm Tresson, 14 Graham Kelly, 15 Nicky Byrne.
Booked: Doyle (39), Webster (90, 90+1).
Sent-Off: Webster (90+1)
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).

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