David Goulden at the Showgrounds
Francely Lomboto netted a dramatic 90th minute equaliser as Sligo Rovers stayed within reach of Cork City at the Showgrounds.
Kitt Nelson had given the Rebels the lead with a quarter of an hour to go, but Rovers were rewarded for their hard work and perseverance when the lively Lomboto popped up to force Owen Elding’s header across the line at the death.
City finished this game with ten men after Josh Fitzpatrick butted heads with Rovers sub Stephen Mallon on 78.
For the third game in eight days, Russell named an unchanged starting side. While City rewarded last Monday’s match winner Nelson, who scored in this fixture back in March, with a start. The Preston loanee their only change from that dramatic win over Waterford.
The hosts did start the brighter and went close through Jad Hakiki whose effort from the edge of the area whistled narrowly wide. While there was a hearts in mouths moment for the Leesiders early on when Rovers’ Gareth McElroy looked like he was shoved to the ground in front of the City posts as he tried to get contact on a Will Fitzgerald set-piece.
City’s Evan McLaughlin had a free-kick from the angle held by Sam Sargeant in the Rovers goal. While McElroy couldn’t generate enough power on his header from a Jake Doyle-Hayes cross late in the half.
Rovers’ top scorer Owen Elding lost his footing at the crucial moment as he skewed an effort wide 12 minutes into the second period as they chased the opener. While at the far end, Djenario Daniels was inches away from tapping home a Joshua Fitzpatrick cross towards the back post with 20 to go.
Cork hit the front on 77. Daniels missed Fitzpatrick’s cross but Nelson made no such mistake as he bundled the ball beyond Sargeant.
Fitzpatrick was then shown a straight red after he got involved with Rovers sub Mallon on 78.
Mallon was involved in the late drama as Elding sent the winger’s cross back across the face of goal for Lomboto to squeeze beyond Tein Troost.
Fitzgerald almost won this game for the hosts in the fifth minute of added time but he dragged a shot wide and beyond the far post.
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Daire Patton 72), John Mahon, Gareth McElroy, Reece Hutchinson; Jake Doyle-Hayes, Ronan Manning (Matty Wolfe 92); Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki (Stephen Mallon 72), Owen Elding; Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 62).
Cork City: Tien Troost; Milan Mbeng, Charlie Lyons, Darragh Crowley, Bernardo Couto (Matthew Kiernan 64); Evan McLaughlin, Sean Murray; Cathal O’Sullivan, Kitt Nelson (Rio Shipston 82), Alex Nolan (Joshua Fitzpatrick 53); Djenairo Daniels.
Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 2,187.