sligorovers.com server problems / bohs match report

[Paraic]

Folks

I'm having problems accessing the main site - technical issues, not sure what the problem is at themo.

for what it's worth, here's my match report from last night. I'll publish on the official site as soon as it's available again. (Gus can you keep a wathc out for the main site returning - I'm afk for a fair bit of the weekend)
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Sligo Rovers snatched a last gasp winner against Bohemians tonight in The Showgrounds. It was no more than the Bit O’Red deserved following a sublime performance reminiscent of the win over Cork a couple of weeks ago.

It was far from one way traffic though and Bohemians will have left The Showgrounds rueing a series of chances that could have left them with at least a share of the spoils.

This game had everything – atmosphere, tension, goals and no little skill. Billed in the minds of some people as the return of Sean Connor to The Showgrounds, the present incumbent, Paul Cook was adamant before this game that it was about the players on the pitch and so it proved, as his charged turned on a performance that will be remembered for a long time.

Rovers had three changes with Richard Brush, Keith Foy and Gavin Peers returning to the fold and things looked tighter at the back than had been the case on Tuesday night against Drogheda.

The script for the game was written early on with open fast flowing football and it was Rovers old boy, Darren Mansaram that gave the home fans an early scare when he found space in the box, but although he was forced wide by Brush he managed to chip a ball across the face of the goal, but Rovers cleared their lines.

The home side won a free kick twenty five yards out after seven minutes and a sweet move straight from the training ground with Foy finding Judge with a low ball into the box before flicking into the path of Kudozovic who volleyed goal-ward but Murphy was equal to it and the ball went out for a corner.

It was from that corner that Rovers took the lead, Keith Foy hitting the post and in the scramble Peers forced it back in the box for Matt Judge to force it into the net.

The team from Phibsboro immediately looked to counter and both Hunt and Mansaram had half chances neither troubling Brush.

At the other end Rovers had a couple of efforts from the distance, the first from Matt Judge that failed to hit the target, the other from Cretaro that flashed narrowly by the wrong side of the post.

The Bit O’Red were in full flow by now, playing a nice brand of passing football dominating the midfield and breaking quickly and they almost had their reward on thirty six minutes.

Seamus Coleman on another surging run down the right looked up and saw Foy coming in from the left. Foy found Judge, who was first denied by Murphy, before McGuiness scooped it over the bar just as Judge looked like he was going to net his second.

The game was tetchy in part with yellow cards matching the tough tackling and although the visitors had a couple of half chances notably from Neal Fenn who volleyed into the side netting and hit the target with a free kick as the clock wound down at the end of the half.

The second half couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Rovers when Seamus Coleman took Crow down in the box during the jostling in the build up to a set-piece and up stepped local Mark Rossiter to slot the ball past Brush in the forty ninth minute.

The atmosphere turned nasty almost immediately as Foy and Coleman were booked after the initial awarding of the penalty and Gerry Carr was sent to the line. Things weren’t helped by Sean Connor as he turned to taunt the home supporters but despite the unsavoury aspects of the incident it brought the game and the already charged atmosphere to a new level.

As the game ebbed and flowed from one end to the other chances were ten a penny at both ends. Twelve minutes into the half Crowe headed the ball into the path of Rice but Brush got down well to deny him. Two minutes later, Rovers found themselves outnumbered at the back but Hunt fired the ball over from the right.

The home side weren’t to be outdone and after a double substitution they were in the ascendancy. A Kudozovic through ball to O’Grady put the local man one on one with McGuinness but Conor let the ball beat both him and the defender and fired a low ball, but it didn’t have any venom.

Mark Rossiter had a couple of decent efforts but failed to add to his tally, whilst at the other end Brian Cash caused havoc making an immediate impact on his introduction shooting an effort narrowly over the bar.

Cash was in action again minutes later with another mazy run from the left seeing him weave passed three players before unleashing a curling left-footed shot that was well saved by Murphy.

It was relentless stuff as Rovers pushed on. Seamus Coleman sent a long ball to McKenzie who but Fahrudin Kudozovic couldn’t get it passed the advancing ‘keeper.

Rovers looked the more likely but repeatedly, Bohemians reminded us of their danger on the break. Owen Heary has a gilt-edged chance to put Bohs two up from a Fenn corner in the seventy second minute but his header went just wide of the post.

Back at the old shed end, another move involving Cash and Kudozovic ended with Flannery’s effort being pushed out for a corner.

Bohs will be kicking themselves that they didn’t take all three points as they had two gilt-edged opportunities to steal the game in additional time. John Paul Kelly was through on goal in the box but Richard Brush saved bravely at his feet. Then Neal Fenn got free in the box to head tamely in to the arms of the Rovers ‘keeper.

The dream end came in the ninety sixth minute when Fahrudin Kudozovic converted a penalty. It was no more than Rovers deserved for their performance. It came about when the tireless Conor O’Grady made space in the box before his effort was saved by Murphy. The rebound fell kindly for Fahrudin Kudozovic who skipped over one tackle before being caught by Liam Burns to concede the penalty.

Roy of the Rovers wouldn’t have dreamed of trying to write a script like this one – no one would have believed it, but believe it they did, and the home side supporter’s stayed on to cheer their heroes off the field.

Sligo Rovers
Richard Brush, Seamus Coleman, Keith Foy (Sean Kelly 60 mins), Gavin Peers, Jamie McKenzie, Conor O’Grady, Raffaele Cretaro (Brian Cash 60 mins), Adam Hughes, Matthew Judge (Sean Flannery 69 mins), Fahrudin Kudozovic, Stephen Manson
Subs not used: Gary Curran, Tomas Arcaba

Bohemians
Brian Murphy, Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Jason McGuiness, Conor Powell (Dessie Byrne 66 mins), Thomas Heary (Mark Rossiter 39 mins), Kevin Hunt (John Paul Kelly 77 mins) Neale Fenn, Glen Crowe, Darren Mansaram, , Stephen Rice

Subs not used:, Chris Kingsberry, Lee Boyle

Referee: D Hanney
Assistants: D McGrath, P Deering, D Tomney

Bookings:

Sligo Rovers
Adam Hughes, Seamus Coleman, Keith Foy

Bohemians
Jason McGuinness, Kevin Hunt, Stephen Rice, Owen Heary, Dessie Byrne, Darrne Mansaram, Liam Burns

Report by Paraic Casey

[Paraic]

apologies folks, server came back this morning but there's still problems. we're hoping to switch back to the old server today.