19.30 17 Sep 2016 -
Referee: Ben Connolly
League Report: Bray Wanderers 4 - 0 Sligo Rovers
- Dave Donnelly
- Sat, Sep 17 2016
Bray Wanderers march up the league table continued with a richly-deserved 4-0 victory over a dire Sligo Rovers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Goals from Ger Pender and Darragh Noone sent the home side in at half-time two goals to the good, and substitutes Drew Lewis and Sean Harding added spectacular finishes in the closing minutes to round off this comprehensive win.
Sligo, meanwhile, bore scant resemblance to the side who beat Cork City and Shamrock Rovers in recent weeks and manager Dave Robertson was an irate figure on the sidelines.
His side came into the game nine points behind Shamrock Rovers in fourth, with two games in hand, but an ill-disciplined and disorganised performance put paid to any outside chance they had of qualifying for Europe.
The Seagulls controlled the game from start to finish, with Sligo offering only a brief reaction after the break, and it took just 15 minutes for the hosts to turn their dominance into a deserved lead.
Karl Moore's left-wing corner was flicked on by captain Conor Kenna, and Ger Pender stuck out a boot to turn the ball into the net past Micheál Schlingermann.
Harry Kenny's side dictated the flow and tempo of the game without creating much in the way of direct chances and the visitors were keeping the dangerous winger Dylan Connolly under tight watch.
Tempers began to get the best of them, however, and after a number of warnings to Sligo players, referee Ben Connolly booked John Russell and Regan Donelan in the space of 90 seconds.
Donelan could arguably have been sent off for taking out Connolly who, for once, had found an opportunity to run at the defence before being cleaned out cynically by the full-back.
Moore turned provider again as he cleverly nodded down Hugh Douglas' cross for the arriving Mark Salmon. The ball sat up nicely for the former Longford Town man, but he sliced his effort wide.
Jason Marks volleyed wide and Darragh Noone had a shot from distance easily saved and, while neither chance was clear-cut, it seemed imevitable that Bray would add to their lead before half-time.
They did just that and, as with Pender's opener, the source was a set-piece, when Gavin Peers was fortunate to escape a yellow card for tripping the rampaging Connolly.
Moore curled the ball in a crowded penalty box that mysteriously cleared, leaving Noone in acres of space to stab the ball first-time, on the bounce, low past Schlingermann.
Robertson – who spent much of the first half trying to convince referee Connolly he was being 'mugged off' by Bray play-acting – cut a frustrated figure at the break.
And his side were presumably treated to more of his persuasive techniques as they emerged for the second half two minutes ahead of their counterparts and tore into them from the off.
Michael Leahy forced a save from Peter Cherrie within the first minute, and Cherrie did excellently to handle Raffaele Cretaro's first-time shot at the second attempt.
The Seagulls, in stark contrast to the comfortable control they imposed on their visitors before the break, were pinned back in their own half for long periods and had to resort to long clearances, one of which almost put Connolly in, but Schlingermann was out quickly to sweep.
Eventually, the Seagulls did regain the initiative and, following a nice shimmy and break from Connolly, Hugh Douglas forced a corner out of Michael Leahy, who seemed to pull up as he did so.
From the corner, Moore's cross beat everybody – including Schlingermann – and was put into his own net by Leahy, only for Ben Connolly to disallow it somewhat dubiously for a foul on the 'keeper.
It did soon get worse for the Bit o' Red, however, as Donelan was issued his second yellow card for another foul on Connolly after the winger showed great feet and pace to beat him down the right.
And Bray got the third goal their display merited when a long clearance from Kenna was allowed to bounce by Gavin Peers, who lost control of the ball, and substitute Drew Lewis was on hand to expertly chip Schlingermann.
With a minute to go, fellow substitute Sean Harding got in on the act, curling a spectacular goal in off the post from 25 yards to secure a second 4-0 victory for Bray over the Bit o'Red by the seaside this year.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas (Sean Harding 85), Conor Kenna, Tim Clancy, Mark Salmon, Darragh Noone, Jason Marks (Alan Kehoe 79), Dylan Connolly, Karl Moore; Ger Pender (Drew Lewis 75).
Subs not used: Lee Steacy (gk), Alan McNally, Alan Kehoe, Paul Finnegan, Sean Harding, Chris Lyons, Drew Lewis.
Booked: None.
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Gavin Peers, Michael Leahy (Gary Boylan 64), Regan Donelan; Daniel Kearns, Jimmy Keohane, John Russell, Liam Martin; Raffaele Cretaro, Achille Campion.
Subs not used: Ciaran Nugent (gk), Pat McCann, Gary Boylan, Mark Hannon, Mikey Place, Philip Roberts.
Booked: John Russell (25), Regan Donelan (27, 72), Achille Campion (79), Liam Martin (84).
Sent off: Regan Donelan (72).
Referee: Ben Connolly.
Attendance: 849 (official).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Dylan Connolly (Bray Wanderers).
Subs
Subs
P | Team | Pd | W | D | L | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dundalk | 33 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 77 |
2 | Cork | 33 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 70 |
3 | Derry | 33 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 62 |
4 | Shamrock R | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 55 |
5 | Sligo | 33 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 49 |
6 | Bray | 33 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 46 |
7 | St Patrick's Athl. | 33 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 45 |
8 | Bohs | 33 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 41 |
9 | Galway | 33 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 38 |
10 | Harps | 33 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 32 |
11 | Wexford | 33 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 23 |
12 | Longford | 33 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 14 |
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