Sligo Rovers record first home league win of the season
A double from Max Mata helped Sligo Rovers to a first home league win of the season. Picture: INPHO/Ciaran Culligan
Two goals from Max Mata helped Sligo Rovers record a 3-1 win against Drogheda United in the Showgrounds last Saturday evening.
Wilson Waweru got the third, with Andrew Quinn scoring for the visitors, as Rovers claimed a first home league win of the season.
The Bit O’Red were unchanged from the side that drew with Shamrock Rovers the week previous with new signing Dutch striker Rein Smit included among the substitutes.
Despite the result it was Drogheda who made the better start. Frantz Pierrot had a close range shot blocked on three minute and then went close again 11 minutes later. Evan Weir sent in a free from the left which dropped for Pierrot in the box and his shot on the turn was well saved by Rovers keeper Ed McGinty.
With their first attack Rovers took the lead on 21 minutes. Niall Morahan won the ball in midfield and played it forward to Fabrice Hartmann who slipped it inside the right channel to Ellis Chapman. He squared the ball across goal where Mata slid in to score with a strong finish.
Five minutes later and they doubled their lead. It was a great team moved that started with a defensive clearance from Ollie Denham. Simon Power held the ball up on the left before playing it to Connor Malley who passed to Hartmann. He laid it off right to J.R. Wilson who aimed it towards the back post where Mata was on hand to tap it in.
Drogheda could have pulled a goal back on 42 minutes. Hartmann failed to clear his lines and the ball was nicked off his toe by Warren Davis, with his low drive coming back off the foot of the post.
Rovers could have extended their lead nine minutes into the second half. Denham won the ball on the left and knocked it across where it came to Hartmann on the right. He clipped it back to the front post where Nando Pijnaker headed it the wrong side.
Four minutes later and Drogheda pulled a goal back. Weir with a corner from the right which Malley failed to clear. It was won back by Jack Keaney who played it back out to Weir. His cross was headed against the crossbar by Zishim Bawa with Quinn heading home the rebound.
They should have been level on 75 minutes. Weir found Aaron McNally on the left and he crossed into the box where Pierrot was in space but his point blank header was kept out by a brilliant save from McGinty.
That warning seemed to reignite Rovers as they could have scored a third on 83 minutes. Will Fitzgerald looked to play in Power who made a run behind the Drogheda defence with Andrew Wogan alert to the danger as he was quick off his line to claim the ball.
There was little he could do soon after as Rovers got their third. Fitzgerald played a short pass to Smit and he picked out Power on the right. He played a slide rule pass into the box where Waweru controlled it with his right before backheeling it into the net with his left. Next up for Rovers they are away to Waterford United this coming Friday. Kick-off in the Regional Sports Centre is at 7:45pm.
