Rovers were maybe a little lucky, but a point from United Park is a start in right direction
IT was backs- to- the- wall stuff at times but just enough was done to pick up a hard earned point at United Park last Friday as the Gerard Lyttle era got underway.
Drogheda will be disappointed not have taken the points given their control of large patterns of the tie along with creating more than enough chances to put the game to bed early on.
While Rovers had a combination of the woodwork, goalkeeper Micheál Schlingermann and at times wayward finishing from their opponents to thank for a result many would have taken before kick- off.
Drogheda were the stronger side throughout and started this one on the front foot.
There were hints of ambition from Rovers but a lack of cutting edge from our front men early doors meant Stephen McGuinness was happy enough to gather a long range effort from Raffaele Cretaro 13 minutes in while Liam Martin seemed to just panic soon after when he was offered time and space to move the ball further towards goal having done well to turn inside Conor Kane.
The Donegal man snatching at the chance with an wayward effort and both Cretaro and Jonah Ayunga available to his left.
Drogheda’s Gareth McCaffrey was given a free role behind Stephen Elliot and although he was superb on the night, he was allowed break the line far too easily particularity in the first half.
His diagonal runs from the left side were left untracked far too often. Drogheda were always going to profit at some stage and sloppy play in the Rovers midfield assisted his cause 22 minutes in when he netted the opener.
Schlingermann was on hand to keep the Bit O’Red from sinking with some great stops.
The Mayo man came in for criticism from certain pockets of supporters towards the end of last year and had stop/ start beginning to the current campaign with injury which led him to miss four of the opening five league games.
He has put in some stellar performances between the posts since his comeback and was responsible in no small part to earning that point last Friday.
At the other end of the field, Rovers lacked conviction when they did create openings.
Cretaro had time, space and options when the ball fell to him at the edge of the area moments before McCaffrey’s goal but he instead chose to attempt a first time volley which flew harmlessly over the bar.
Ayunga was smart to win the penalty and did well to net the leveller.
But he didn’t back himself on the hour mark when he threw a foot at Martin’s floated cross to the back post.
The ball just needed the slightest of contact to end up in the net.
More power in his run and a touch more conviction would have seen Rovers ahead.
In the end, it was a case of take the point and run. There were plenty more chances for Drogheda to take the lead in the second half while the away side failed to produce a shot on goal in that period.
A draw was a good result particularity given the reshuffle in defence after Mick Leahy’s injury and the setback of Kieran Sadlier’s missed penalty.
The obvious problems as mentioned above remain but all in all it was a decent start for the new manager given the circumstances.
Yesterday’s EA Sports Cup quarter final against Galway hadn’t taken place at the time of writing.
Winning the League Cup in 2010 was the kick- starter to the wonderful few years which saw the ‘ golden- era’ of Sligo Rovers.
It’s one of those competitions that doesn’t create the stir in the early rounds that the FAI Cup can.
But to be within 90 minutes of a semi- final represents a huge chance especially given that supporters haven’t had much to enthuse us so far this year.