Drogheda Utd 1 Sligo Rovers 1:AN EQUALISER in the second minute of stoppage time earned Sligo a scarcely deserved share of the spoils against a Drogheda side who paid the price once more for their poor finishing.

The home side should have been out of sight as a host of chances came and went in the second half before right at the death Rovers were awarded a penalty for a handball by Jason Gavin.

Fahrudin Kudozovic saw his spot kick saved brilliantly by keeper Jamie Ewings but was on hand to drive the loose ball to the net to secure what was an unlikely point for his side.

Drogheda began with purpose as Stuart Byrne knocked a lovely ball across the park into the path of Shane Robinson but his pull-back for Ibrahima Iyane Thiam was marginally behind the striker as an early opportunity for the home side slipped away.

The game trundled along aimlessly for 25 minutes before Drogheda upped the tempo in the closing stages of the first half with a spell of pressure that eventually led to a goal.

Cahill sent the ball in from the left to Byrne, whose shot appeared to take a slight deflection on the way past Jennings into the net.

In a very open and keenly contested second half both sides had chances as Drogheda chased the goal that would seal the win and Rovers chased an equaliser.

Drogheda only have themselves to blame for not winning as Adam Hughes should have had a hat-trick in the final 20 minutes and substitutes Eamon Zayed and Aidan O'Keeffe fluffed a gilt-edged opportunity.

DROGHEDA UNITED:Ewings, Kendrick, Gavin, Gartland, Robinson (O'Keeffe, 57 mins), Hughes, Shelley, Byrne, Keegan, Cahill, Iyane Thiam (Zayed, 71 mins).

SLIGO ROVERS:Jennings, Coleman, Butler, Peers, Almeida (McKenzie, half-time), O'Grady, Cash (Doherty, 61 mins), Murphy (Ventre, half-time), Boco, Kudozovic, Cretaro.

Referee:D McKeon (Dublin).