Waterford Utd - 1 Sligo Rovers - 2: Waterford United are still without a win but it took a last-gasp goal by Darren Mansaram to give Sligo Rovers full points and extend the Blues' losing streak to nine games.
Sligo started brightly but fluffed three golden opportunities to score in the first eight minutes and it was the Blues who went in front from a corner in the ninth minute. Darren Young delivered a low cross from the left that was touched on by Darryl Kavanagh across the face of the goal and Kenny Browne walloped the ball into the net from point-blank range.
Rovers equalised on 67 minutes when a Chris Turner free-kick was headed back to his goalkeeper by Pat Flynn. Debutant Ben Spicer, who was having an impressive game until then, allowed the ball to spill from his arms into the path of Mansaram and his shot came back off the crossbar as far as Adam Hughes who tapped into the net from six yards.
The dramatic winner arrived on 89 minutes when John Bellew crossed into a crowded goalmouth and Mansaram gave Spicer no chance with a powerful header from close range.
During a lively first half, United could have increased their lead through Gavin Doyle on 20 minutes but most of the scoring opportunities fell to Sligo who worked hard to create six clear openings. However, all the chances were wasted and Mansaram, who could have had a hat-trick, was particularly wasteful.
Three minutes into the second-half, Chris Turner's free-kick from 35 yards was sailing into the top, right-hand corner, but Spicer dived full length to save.
Ian Fraher went close for United on 55 minutes but the play immediately swung back into the Waterford area where Stephen Grant cleared off the line and Spicer made two saves in quick succession. On 64 minutes only a super, perfectly timed tackle by John Hayes prevented Harpal Singh from scoring.
James Chambers was unlucky in the 77th minute when his shot ricochet off defender Michael McNamara and out for a corner off the butt of the upright.
WATERFORD UNITED: Spicer; Flynn, Young, Reynolds, Browne, Hayes, Fraher (Irwin 72 minutes), Chambers, Doyle, Grant, Kavanagh.
SLIGO ROVERS: O'Hara, Peers, McNamara, Burns, O'Grady, Hughes, Kuoozovic, Mansaram, Turner, Curran (Singh 63 minutes), Judge (Bellew 83 minutes).
Referee: M Gough (Limerick)
