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Sligo Rovers 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
Sligo maintained their unbeaten start to the season at a sunny Tolka Park. Rovers should have taken the lead after only five minutes, when a cross from the left was spilled by Shams keeper, Robert Forde and Padraig Moran could only find the side netting when he turned sharply to shoot from five yards out. Shams top scorer last season, Tony Cousins, was substituted after only 18 minutes, which robbed Shams of their chief attacking option. Sligo took control of the game in the first half with Steve Jones causing havoc on the right flank. Some incisive passing created a number of chances, but Sligo failed to capitalise. Falcon Rose brought out a good save from Forde who blocked the South Africans fierce drive from outside the box. After a whipped in corner from the left, Padraig Moran was unable to get a touch when the ball bobbled on the line after another spill from Forde.
Sligo took a deserved lead two minutes into the second half. Shams centre half, Paul Whelan was penalised for a blatant push on Padraig Moran just outside the box. While Shams were organising their wall, Neil Ogden stepped up and curled the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net. Shams equalised ten minutes later. On break away attack Mark O'Neill found Brian Morrisroe on the left wing. His low shot from the edge of the box found the far corner of the goal after Westhead seemed ever so reluctant to get himself dirty by attempting to save it.
Sligo pushed forward looking for a deserved winner. Thew managed to miss a header from beneath the crossbar and Moran missed when he chipped the onrushing keeper only for the ball to go wide and Moran to be sent tumbling to the ground by said keeper (a definite penalty!). With fifteen minutes remaining a cross from the left by Moran was put in the net by the head of Thew as he out jumped Forde. For some inexplicable reason, the ref disallowed it.
Overall Sligo played well, they were by far the more inventive team and created many more chances than the home team. There still is a problem at right back where Southworth is really out of his depth. Cubbesson, for all his height, was terrible in the air. Hutchinson and Lynch were both steady. The middle of midfield looked a little jaded towards the end once Ogden went off. Again Westhead was never going to play the ball short and a lot of possession was lost this way. Two points dropped, rather than one gained.
Rovers: Westhead, Southworth, Hutchinson, Reid, Cubesson, Ogden, Jones, Moran, Thew, Rose, Lynch. Subs. Flannery for Ogden (75 Mins.)
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Still unbeaten after five games. |
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