Bray trounce Sligo to pull further away from relegation

Bray Wanderers 4 Sligo Rovers 0

Ger Pender scored for the third successive match as Bray Wanderers maintained their formidable current form to beat Sligo 4-0 for the second time this season at the Carlisle Grounds.

Their third win on the spin also confirmed Bray are clear of automatic relegation as it’s just one defeat now in 13 league matches for Harry Kenny’s side.

Bray broke the deadlock of a tight opening from their first corner on 15 minutes.

Skipper Conor Kenna nodded on Karl Moore’s delivery for Pender to react well to stab home from close range.

With Sligo failing to trouble the well-organised home defence, Bray remained in control and deservedly extended their lead three minutes before half-time.

Sligo captain Gavin Peers’ clumsily fouled Dylan Connolly. Moore floated the free kick into the area where Darragh Noone drifted in to sweep the ball casually to the net with his right foot to score for the second week running.

With more impetus about them on the resumption, Sligo finally got their first shot on target six minutes in.

Daniel Kearns’s low cross from the right found Raff Cretaro whose strike was well saved by Peter Cherrie.

Though they enjoyed much of the ball in the second half, Sligo’s hopes of getting back into the game were dealt a blow on 72 minutes when left-back Regan Donelon, booked for a foul on Connolly in the first half, repeated the misdemeanour to receive a second yellow card and was sent off.

A mistake by Peers was then punished as Bray sealed their win on 77 minutes when Andrew Lewis lobbed to the net from the edge of the area.

Fellow substitute Sean Harding added Bray’s fourth goal on 89 minutes with a stunning strike from distance that flew in off a post.

Bray Wanderers: Cherrie; Douglas (Harding 85), Kenna, Clancy, Lynch; Salmon; Marks (Kehoe, 79), Noone, Moore, Connolly; Pender (Lewis, 75).

Sligo Rovers: Schlingermann; Adebayo-Rowling, Peers, Leahy (Boylan, 64), Donelon; Kearns, Keohane, Russell, Martin; Cretaro, Campion.

Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).