Sligo sink Seagulls to go three clear

Goals in each half from Raffaele Cretaro and Danny North enabled Sligo Rovers go three points clear in the Airtricity Premier Division with a victory over Bray at the Carlisle Grounds last night.

It has been a marvellous start for new Sligo boss Ian Baraclough as the club make their best start to the league in 75 years.

The Bit O’Red took the lead on nine minutes when Danny North found defender Alan Keane down the right and his inch perfect cross was powerfully headed home from close range by Raffaele Cretaro.

Bray went close to an equaliser on 16 minutes when a header by the unmarked Danny O’Connor clipped the crossbar.

The home side were however level three minutes later after a misjudged back pass by central defender Gavin Peers allowed midfielder Marty Waters to sprint clear and shoot the ball confidently past the advancing Rogers.

Bray went close to getting their noses in front on 25 minutes when John Mulroy created the opening in midfield for Hanlon to get in a powerful left-footed effort well pushed over by Rogers.

Sligo were back in front four minutes after the interval after Romuald Boco was taken down by O’Connor just outside the penalty area. The resulting free by Joseph Ndo was superbly blasted home from close range by the alert North.

Boco provided another opening for North on 71 minutes but time the busy striker fired just wide before veteran Jason Byrne fired just wide as Bray’s last hope faded away.

BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley; Webster, O’Connor, Sweeney, Knight; Waters (Bolger 90), Houston, Zambra, Hanlon (Doyle 90), Mulroy (Kelty 90); Byrne.

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers; Keane, Peers, Ventre, Davoren; Boco, Lynch, Ndo, Dillon (Cawley 85); Cretaro (Gaynor 68), North.

Referee: A Kelly (Cork).