Rovers are

SLIGO Rovers are still not out of the woods. And the woods have been terrifying this season. While it remains mathematically possible that Rovers can be overtaken by Cork City, the Bit O’Red can’t rest easy. Rovers, currently eighth in the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Men’s Premier Division, are nine points clear of ninth-placed Cork City, who occupy the relegation-promotion play-off spot. Both have four games left to play. But Cork, who have an inferior goal difference, must three of their last four games and draw the other one. The Leesiders will have to pick up these results – against UCD, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City and Bohemians – and then hope that Rovers lose four times.

It is near certain that Cork will falter and so Rovers may not need to take anything from their remaining fixtures – the Bit O’Red play Dundalk (October 20), St Patrick’s Athletic (October 23), Drogheda United (October 28) and Shamrock Rovers (November 3).

Had Rovers salvaged even a point from Dalymount Park last Friday then that queasy feeling would have dissipated.

But a 3-1 defeat was a return to the bad old days, with Rovers not rewarded for their first-half enterprise.

“It was a tough one to take,” said Rovers boss John Russell afterwards, who, in recent weeks, had guided his side to important victories over teams at opposite ends of the table, UCD and Derry City.

“I felt in the first-half that we were well in the game – we were getting tight on people and winning second balls – there wasn’t much between the two teams. In the second-half Bohs took control.

“Some of the goals we conceded were very poor. We lacked the firsthalf tempo in the second-half and that was disappointing.”

Russell, who was speaking to LOITV, reckoned that Bohemians taking the lead after 55 minutes changed everything.

“Getting the first goal is huge in this league – conceding that goal gave Bohemians momentum. The crowd