Francely Lomboto gives Sligo Rovers huge boost with winner against former club Galway United

Both sides finished with ten men after both John Mahon and Moses Dyer were dismissed, with Sligo going on to win the game, although Galway will be wondering how they came away with nothing.

Rovers went ahead before half-time, with Galway responding early in the second-half.

Lomboto’s fourth of the season earned the hosts all three points, their second win over Galway this season.

John Russell made two changes from the side that lost to Drogheda on Friday night.

Defender Gareth McElroy missed out through injury, while Stephen Mallon dropped to the bench.

Kyle McDonagh made his first senior start, with Matty Wolfe also returning to the starting 11.

The home side were second bottom coming into this tie, just one point ahead of Cork City.

John Caulfield named an unchanged team from the side that beat St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night, with Galway unbeaten in four before they travelled to Sligo.

Cian Byrne, who scored a brace during Galway’s last visit to Sligo, forced a save from Sam Sargeant after ten minutes with a free-kick from the edge of the box.

Neither goalkeeper had a lot to do for a period, but the visitors should have taken the lead just before half-time.

Sargeant left his pass too short, allowing Galway to get numbers forward, and somehow the hosts couldn’t find the net, with Sligo managing a couple of goal-line clearances before Sargeant palmed the shot away with Patrick Hickey and Moses Dyer in the thick of it.

Seconds later, the hosts went ahead.

Rob Slevin misjudged the bounce of the ball, allowing Owen Elding in to pick out Hakiki with a superb pass.

The former Shels man kept his composure to fire past Watts with his second goal of the season.

And he almost added a second moments later after another defensive lapse from Galway, but Slevin did enough to get the slightest of touches, taking the sting out of the shot, with Watts well placed to make the save.

Dyer’s tenth of the season levelled the score two minutes into the second-half, as he rose highest to meet Byrne’s free-kick.

There was plenty of drama to come, though.

A strong challenge from Mahon on Dyer sparked furious reaction, although it had looked to have fizzled out, before round two started and both players were dismissed after clashing, touching heads with some pushing and shoving involved.

Byrne somehow fired wide for Galway, before Lomboto found the net for Sligo after his introduction.

His backheel beat Watts in what was a goalmouth scramble, with the post denying the Galway native moments before.

Galway threw everything at it, and were denied by three Reece Hutchinson clearances late on, with Sligo holding on for a huge win.

Sligo Rovers: S Sargeant; K McDonagh (O Van Hattum 64), J Mahon, C Reynolds (D Patton 85), R Hutchinson; M Wolfe (O Denham 64), J Doyle-Hayes; W Fitzgerald, J Hakiki (S Mallon 85), O Elding; W Waweru (F Lomboto 64).

Galway United: E Watts; J Esua, R Slevin, G Buckley, G Cunningham (B Burns HT); V Borden (C McCormack HT), C Byrne (S Walsh 83); D Hurley (K Brouder 74), E McCarthy (M Shaw 74); P Hickey, M Dyer.

Referee: N Doyle (Dublin).