Team beginning to gel under Lyttle, but it’s vital we get bodies in

THE small steps and signs of progression under the new management continued last Friday night as a determined Sligo Rovers ground out a creditable and wholly deserved point away to Bray Wanderers. Another all round positive performance on the road despite the lack of an attacking threat through the middle shows further hints that this team is beginning to gel under Ger Lyttle.

The stumbling block of the early concession of a goal would have been one that this bunch of players would have struggled to get past under previous management.

After Aaron Greene became the latest in a long line of ex- Bit O’Red men to net against his former club, thoughts could only turn to the possibility of a third thumping in a row by the Irish Sea following both 4- 0 defeats at the Carlisle last season.

But to peg Bray back twice shows the belief this squad has in itself and how its mentality is beginning to shift.

Of course both goals could have easily been avoided but to come back from behind twice and take a point from the home of the league’s third best team is a great result whatever way you look at it. Again and for the third game running we needed to rely on Regan Donelon to sweep off the line to save our skin but there were also chances for Rovers to take the points.

Rovers looked like they would do well to find a point of attack without either John Russell or Daniel Kearns. Jonah Ayunga operated out on the right side and was a threat to Wanderers all evening.

While an injury to Liam Martin just before the break meant a further change in ranks with Mikey Place - alongside Kieran Sadlier - charged with linking the midfield with Raff Cretaro.

Place looked a little lost when he was brought on against Cork last Monday week but showed he is learning to deal with the pace of senior football as the weeks go on.

Place’s inclusion along with the introduction of Martin Walsh during the that game shows how nec- essary it is to get bodies in over the next few weeks.

Five of the six substitutes against Cork are under- 19s while the other was replacement goalkeeper Shaun Patton.

Seamus Sharkey’s inclusion in the Bray matchday squad raised the experience levels but we still lacked that impact player to spring from the bench. The capture of Sharkey also eases the burden of worry should we lose either Kyle Callan- McFadden or Mick Leahy. Again, a potential back lash of our previous manager’s deficiency.

Sharkey’s ability to play either at right full back or centre half also allows Gary Boylan to stay in his best position at defensive midfield should either Leahy or Callan- McFadden have to miss out.

The games continue to get bigger with more at stake and Friday’s visit of Harps is no different.

Ollie Horgan’s team hit a dip a few weeks past but have shown the resolve to take two huge wins over both St Pat’s and Limerick recently.

The type of character to win those game is similar to that which Lyttle’s side must show Friday.

A win would be massive because it means Rovers would leap- frog Harps and depending on other results, potentially bringing us closer to the likes of Shams and Limerick going into the break.

I would expect Harps to sit in and make themselves hard for Rovers to breach before working off anything Paddy McCourt can muster during his hour or so of fitness. Caolan McAleer has proved a shrewd signing for Horgan and has one of the stand- out players of this year’s league outside of the top teams and will be one to watch.

One advantage to Rovers will be the suspension of Danny Morrisey although there are still goals in the Donegal men from the likes of Ciaran O’Connor and Sean Houston.

This one is there for the taking from Rovers’ perspective.

Victory would also put us in good stead going into another massive six- pointer against Galway United on the league’s return on the 17th.