SLIGO ENJOYED A a comprehensive 4-0 win over relegation threatened UCD in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Saturday night. Goals from Eamon Zayed, Gary Armstong, Paul O’Conor and Danny Ledwith saw Gavin Dykes pick up his first win as interim Rovers manager.
It was the home side who all but controlled the first half. Armstrong, grandson of Rovers’ all time top scorer Johnny, almost netted on his first start for the club, but was unlucky to see his bending effort clip the bottom of the post with less than a minute played.
Sligo’s O’Conor and David Cawley both skied their respective efforts from distance on seven and eight minutes respectively, while UCD goalkeeper Conor O’Donnell did well to fall at the feet of Raffaele Cretaro before blocking away the Sligo man’s low effort.
It took 15 minutes for the Students to register their first effort on goal, but Samir Belhout couldn’t keep down his effort and it sailed above Richard Brush’s crossbar.
Rovers looked the stronger throughout the opening half and pressure eventually told ten minutes before the break.
Armstrong robbed the ball from a opponent in the centre of the field before threading a ball through to Cretaro. The winger found Zayed inside the area, who then sidefooted the ball first-time past the stationary O’Donnell for his fourth league goal for the Bit O’Red.
Sligo continued to control the game throughout and found their second and third goals in quick succession. Armstrong fired past O’Donnell on his first start for the club, after Zayed’s initial shot was blocked down by a UCD defender with 51 minutes elapsed.
O’Conor made it three on 54 when he volleyed past O’Donnell from a Zayed cross.
Rovers continued to cruise, although Robbie Creevy almost grabbed a consolation but Rovers net minder Richard Brush was equal to his headed effort.
Sligo compounded the away side’s misery late on as their rearguard allowed Danny Ledwith’s free kick from the wing sneak past them to make it 4-0. O’Donnell was left stranded by his defence as the ball sailed in front of him and into the far corner.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Gary Boylan, Gavin Peers, Evan McMillan, Danny Ledwith; Raffaele Cretaro (for Ruairi Keating 84), David Cawley, Paul O’Conor, Gary Armstrong (for Ryan McManus 70); Eamon Zayed (for Regan Donelon 81), Danny North.
UCD: Conor O’Donnell; Gareth Matthews, Ian Ryan, Hugh Douglas, James Kavanagh (for Dan Tobin 81); Robbie Benson, Robbie Creevy, Chris Mulhall (for Timmy Molloy 87), Ayman Ben Mohamad, Colin Crowe (for Gary Burke 67); Samir Belhout.