SLIGO ROVERS’ SURVIVAL chances took a huge hit tonight as they were held to a 0-0 draw with Bray Wanderers at The Showgrounds.
Sligo came into tonight’s game desperate for three points, hoping to bounce back after an embarrassing 4-2 defeat at the hands of Longford Town in the FAI Cup on Saturday.
The Bit O’Red were second-from-bottom coming into the fixture, having failed to win their last six league games. Bray, on the other hand, were sitting in 5th spot, but without a win in five – although their strong start to the season means they have no relegation concerns.
The hosts really should have taken the lead with just two minutes on the clock. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s cross landed in front of Greg Moorhouse, who appeared to simply slip over the ball right while bearing down on goal.
Although Gerard Lyttle’s men were on top for large spells, they never really troubled Peter Cherrie in the Seagulls goal.
The visitors’ best chance of the first half came shortly after the half-hour mark. Mark Salmon fittingly rose highest to nod on a pass into the path of Ryan Brennan, but he failed to connect sufficiently to trouble Micheál Schlingermann in the Sligo goal.
Both sides offered little in terms of opportunities in the second half, with Rovers coming closest from a Rhys McCabe free-kick which took a deflection before going wide.
Gary McCabe then forced a save from Schlingermann, although the Mayo man wasn’t forced to over exert himself in order to keep it out of the net.
Substitute Kevin Lynch almost gave Harry Kenny’s men the lead in the dying minutes when his shot across goal just trickled past the far post.
The Wicklow men looked the most likely to nick a winner at the death, but neither side managed to really put pressure on the opposition goalkeeper.
Sligo Rovers are in serious trouble now, and remain just one spot off the foot of the table – two points from safety as it stands.
The Seagulls are three points off Shamrock Rovers in fourth as the battle for a European spot heats up.
Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlingermann, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Kyle Callan McFadden, Seamus Sharkey, Regan Donelon, Daniel Kearns (Raffaele Cretaro, 60′), Craig Roddan, Rhys McCabe, John Russell (Omar Haughton, 73′), Greg Moorhouse, Benny Igiehon (Vinny Faherty, 73′).
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie, Hugh Douglas, Conor Kenna, Tim Clancy, Karl Moore (Kevin Lynch, 74′), Mark Salmon, John Sullivan, Ryan Brennan (Darragh Noone, 87′), Gary McCabe, Aaron Greene, Ger Pender (Jason Marks, 64′).
Referee: Rob Rogers