UCD 1 Sligo Rovers 0:LEADERS SLIGO Rovers lost their 12-match unbeaten Premier Division record when a first-half goal by striker Graham Rusk gave unfancied UCD a shock victory at the Belfield Bowl last night.

There was no doubt about the merit of College’s victory. Having started as 15 to 2 outsiders, they tore up the form book in style to record only their third win of the season. Minus the suspended Hugh Douglas and the injured Mark Langtry, UCD had an early chance when Samir Belhout miskicked in front of goal.

Sligo, without the suspended Gavin Peers and the injured Joseph Ndo and Ross Gaynor, might have broken the deadlock when Alan Keane shot over from 12 yards after good work from Romauld Boco on the right.

However, the visitors did have the ball in the net with a Danny North effort on 18 minutes but this was ruled out after he had handled a cross from midfielder Boco. North was shown a yellow card.

The Students were in front on 31 minutes when a left-footed cross from defender Danny Ledwith on the right enabled striker Rusk to get in a delicate glancing header into the corner. They went close to stretching that lead on 48 minutes when Robbie Benson supplied the ball for Ledwith to cross from the right only for Paul O’Conor’s effort to clip the bar.

Sligo did have chances of an equaliser in the second half but could find no way past the impressive central defensive partnership of David O’Connor and Michael Leahy and it was the Students who went close when Paul O’Conor had a shot from the edge of the box blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Rogers, who also made a good save from Rusk before O’Conor headed over late on.

UCD: McGinley; Ledwith, D OConnor, Leahy, Nangle; Corry, P OConor, Benson, Belhout (Burke 80), McNelis (Doyle 90); Rusk (Clarke 88).

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers ; Keane , McGuinness , Ventre, Davoren (Dykes 28); Boco, Cawley (Millien 65) , Dillon (Lynch 72), Cretaro; North, Quigley.

Referee: Pádraig Sutton (Dublin).