Drogheda United 1-2 Sligo Rovers
NOT ALL THAT long ago, John Coleman was English football’s third longest serving manager, his 13 years as Accrington Stanley behind only messers Ferguson and Wenger for longevity. Now, he’s the newest kid on the Airtricity League block, tasked with revitalising a Sligo Rovers season that’s going nowhere fast.
Not that the ‘kid’ lacks managerial experience. 17 years managing in English football is testament to that. In the opposite dugout, the more youthful Darius Kierans was taking caretaker charge of Drogheda. After leaking 16 goals in their last three league defeats, his brief was clear.
A 2-1 victory for Sligo at United Park sets Coleman and his new charges up nicely for their Europa League jaunt to Lithuania next week. For the home side, who finished with ten men, this performance offered few positives to take away. If clutching at straws is your game, conceding only two and a more solid second half showing are two and few.
First half goals from Danny North and Kieran Djilali put the visitors in the driving seat before Gavin Brennan’s penalty reduced the arrears. With both sides under new management, it was at the very least hotly contested with players on both sides eager to make lasting impressions on their new bosses.
It was Sligo who first produced the first moment of quality. The lively Djilali crossed from the left for North who improvised superbly to flick the ball onto the crossbar. Drogheda failed to take heed and in the 13th minute, Sligo hit the front. This time Raff Cretaro crossed from the left and North beat Paul Crowley at the far post to head past Schlingermann.
The second came eight minutes later. Coleman will take great delight in a clinical, counter attacking goal of the highest quality. From a Drogheda corner, Gaynor found Djilali whose flick released Russell. He fed North down the right and he picked out Djilali once more. The former Crystal Palace man curled unerringly in for 2-0.
Despite two goals it was only then, however, that the match exploded into life. First Kalen Spillane fouled Declan O’Brien in the area. After referee Derek Tomney pointed to the spot, Gavin Brennan smashed the resultant kick past ex-Drogheda stalwart Gary Rogers.
The match didn’t swing in the home side’s favour for long however. On the stroke of half time, Paul Andrews received a straight red card for lashing out at Danny North. The centre back had just been yellow carded for a foul on the Sligo goalscorer and when seemingly provoked by North immediately after, he aimed a kick in North’s direction right under the nose of referee Tomney.
In the second half, the ten men were solid and unlike in previous weeks refused to let the game get away from them. That said, Sligo were particularly wasteful on the counter and could have easily put a gloss on a positive opening result for John Coleman. Drogheda have now lost 12 in the last 13 in the league.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Michael Schlingermann, Mick Daly, Shane Grimes, Paul Andrews, Paul Crowley (Sean O’Connor, 80), Cathal Brady (Carl Walshe, 69), Gavin Brennan, Gavan Holohan, Stephen Maher, Daire Doyle, Declan O’Brien.
SUBSTITUTES: David Ryan, Gary O’Neill, Roy Kierans, Carl Walshe, Ciaran O’Connor, Sean O’Connor, Dale Harding.
SLIGO ROVERS: Gary Rogers, Seamus Conneely, Kalen Spillane, Ross Gaynor, Danny Ledwith, David Cawley, John Russell, Paul O’Conor, Kieran Djilali, Raffaele Cretaro, Danny North (Aaron Greene, 93).
SUBSTITUTES: Richard Brush, Sean Maguire, Regan Donelon, Aaron Greene.
REFEREE: Derek Tomney.
Airtricity League Premier Division results
UCD 0-2 Shamrock Rovers
Drogheda United 1-2 Sligo Rovers
St. Patrick’s Athletic 3-2 Bray Wanderers
Cork City 3-0 Limerick FC
Derry City 2-2 Dundalk
Bohemians 2-2 Athlone Town