I believe we can improve our own for tunes

SLIGO Rovers’ dismal record at Tallaght Stadium continued last Friday evening as the Bit O’Red suffered their fifth defeat of the season.

A drab affair in which the first goal was always likely to be the decider, the result stuck in the craw that bit harder given it was such a great opportunity for Rovers to take something from a venue that hasn’t been kind to us in recent past.

Rovers have only managed to squeeze three wins from Dublin 24 in twenty attempts since the stadium’s inception nine years ago. The last of these coming in 2014 when we beat Dundalk in the Setanta Sports Cup decider.

So the familiar feeling of inevitability that comes with a visit there was hard to shake off at half-time, even though a then scoreless game was there to be won.

The Shamrock Rovers team that took to the field on Friday was one of the poorest since their move to their permanent home in 2009.

Three of their better players were benched due to recent poor individual form. Brandon Miele, Gary Shaw and Dave McAllister each struggling to make an impact this year.

Their dip in form as likely to be down to poor management as it is to anything they’ve brought on themselves.

With no shot on target recorded, the first-half left with little to report.

But it still left Rovers with an opportunity.

The locals became agitated as Shams lacked penetration, with David Cawley and Rhys McCabe bossing what should be a constantly creative core of Greg Bolger and Ronan Finn, struggling to create space to work in.

There was no room down either side as Gary Boylan and Calum Waters restricted Sean Kavanagh and Joel Coustrain down the Hoops flanks.

We were going about our jobs quite well. Nothing to get too excited about but Rovers were the better of the sides.

What did eventually decide the game was Shams’ ability to show Rovers how to force a result even when your football isn’t setting the world alight.

Kavanagh had been enduring a difficult evening keeping an eye on Boylan who found it easy to get beyond both him and Luke Byrne.

The Mayo man’s taste for venturing forward grew with the game, restricting Kavanagh’s opportunities to get in behind Rovers.

But from one chance, came the goal.

Kavanagh was quiet all night, but one pin point cross in front of Dan Carr, executed to perfection won his side the points.

Put that kind of ball in front of Adam Morgan and you’ll get fifteen plus goals per season out of him.

Kavangh’s performance was an example to Caolan McAleer and Ali Roy who by no means enjoyed the best performances of their careers at the weekend.

But no matter how much a winger is struggling to produce, one ball between the opposition goalkeeper and his defenders can win you plenty of points in this league where so many tight games can hinge on such moments.

The game’s main talking point took place in the lead up to that goal.

With Rhys McCabe lying on the ground having been elbowed in the face, referee Neil Doyle didn’t believe the Scot to have been genuinely fouled.

Fourth official Rob Rogers had ‘informed’ the referee there was a head injury and applying the rules of the game, proceedings must be halted so that the player can receive treatment.

So did Rogers actually tell Doyle of the incident or did the referee simply ignore it? Either way, McCabe was clearly fouled and had the post match scars to prove it.

In the end, you can’t blame officials alone for losing games but playing by the rules does have its benefits.

It seemed we had legitimate claims for a penalty late on when it looked as if Ethan Boyle raised his hand in front of his own goal to block Cawley’s shot.

As disappointing as the officiating was, Rovers’ lack of penetration at the business end was just as much of a let down.

Greg Moorhouse was introduced with twenty to go and although going with two up top saw the away side produce more of a press, the closest we came was a glorified back pass when Moorhouse’s close range header was easily gathered by a sorely under-worked Kevin Horgan in the Hoops’ nets.

Rovers now have one less point than at the same stage last year. The difference this year, I believe being that we have a squad and management team capable of improving our own fortunes.

Losing five of your first eight games is the form of a relegation candidate, that much is clear to all.

But for Rovers – for the time being - it continues to be about eradicating those silly mistakes at the back and making the most of having an out and out goalscorer in Morgan.