Duffus strikes late as Rovers lose third game of season
SLIGO ROVERS WATERFORD
COURTNEY Duffus’ 90th minute winner inflicted a third home defeat of the season on Ger Lyttle’s Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Friday night.
Visitors Waterford took the lead in the first-half through Gavan Holohan, before Adam Morgan equalised shortly after the hour mark.
The Bit o’Red looked the most likely to go on and win the game in the late stages, but it was Alan Reynolds’ side who made the most of their chances, winning the game with just injury time left to be played.
With last week’s game away to St. Patrick’s Athletic postponed due to the weather, this was Rovers’ fourth consecutive home game of the season, and one that they were desperate to get points from, considering they were sat second bottom of the table coming into the game.
The Blues, on the other hand, had won two of their previous three games this season, and a win against Sligo would allow them to keep the pressure on Cork at the top.
Ger Lyttle made five changes to the side that was beaten 4-1 by Cork City. Gary Boylan missed out through illness, while Rhys McCabe missed out through suspension. Seamus Sharkey, Alistair Roy and Craig Roddan dropped to the bench.
Greg Moorhouse, Raff Cretaro, Adam Wixted, Eduardo Pinceli and Calum Waters all started in their places.
Rovers ‘keeper Mitchell Beeney was certainly the busier of the two in the early stages of the game.
Both Holohan and Stanley Aborah tested him in the opening 20 minutes, but there was no way through for the Blues.
The hosts came close when David Cawley’s chested pass to Caolan McAleer was volleyed at goal by the former Finn Harps man, but an assured Lawrence Vigouroux forced it wide.
As time went on, the ever impressive Hery began to settle into the game causing problems for the Rovers rearguard.
First, the French man beat three Sligo players before spotting the run of Dean Walsh who could not direct his shot away from the diving Beeney.
Hery continued to terrorise the Bit o’Red defence, eventually setting up the opening goal.
The French man was again alert, teeing up Rory Feely whose cross was nodded past Beeney by the unmarked Holohan.
Ger Lyttle’s side pressed hard for an equaliser after the re-start and were certainly looking like the better side.
Brazilian midfielder Eduardo Pinceli forced a stunning save from Vigouroux just after the hour mark to keep the visitors in the lead.
But they were beginning to feel the pressure from the hosts, and eventually on 67 minutes, it was 1-1 as Morgan just got the ball over the line after an almighty goalmouth scramble.
Rovers could have taken all three points in the later stages of the game, when Lewis Morrison and Greg Moorhouse combined to feed McAleer, but he directed his effort well wide of the post.
The hosts threw the kitchen sink at their opponents, and almost got their just rewards, but for an excellent double save from Vigouroux, keeping out both Ally Roy and Lewis Morrison from close range in the dying minutes.
It all looked to be over, that was until Duffus beat Beeney with a neat finish from close range, inflicting a third defeat of the season on the hosts, while Waterford are keeping the pressure on Cork at the top.
Rovers were away to bottom side Bray Wanderers last night (Monday), while they travel to Dublin on Friday to face Bohs at Dalymount Park.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney, Raffaele Cretaro, Patrick McClean, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Calum Waters, Adam Wixted (Ally Roy, 55), David Cawley, Eduardo Pinceli, Caolan McAleer (Liam Kerrigan, 90), Greg Moorhouse, Adam Morgan (Lewis Morrison, 78).
Waterford FC: Lawrence Vigouroux, Rory Feely, Kenny Browne, David Webster, Dylan Barnett, Paul Keegan, Bastien Hery (Gary Comerford, 77), Stanley Aborah (Sander Puri, 60), Gavan Holohan, Dean Walsh (Derek Daly, 64), Courtney Duffus.
Referee: Neil Doyle