FAI Cup third round/ Sligo Rovers 2 Bray Wanderers 1: Battling Bray Wanderers came close to forcing a replay in this mediocre Carlsberg FAI Cup third-round tie at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

Harpal Singh put Sligo Rovers ahead in the 31st minute, blasting past Bray goalkeeper Chris O'Connor from Chris Turner's pinpoint cross.

Darren Mansaran grabbed Sligo's second on the hour, leaving Bray with the proverbial mountain to climb. But Andrei Georgescu threw the Seagulls a lifeline on 81 minutes with a clever finish.Colm James missed a great chance for Bray after seven minutes but his headed effort was turned out for a corner.

Sligo took the lead, and Liam Burns blasted a shot against a post as they chased a second goal.

O'Connor kept his side in the game when he saved a Keith Foy penalty, diving smartly to his right, in the 59th minute after Singh was impeded.

A splendid 74th-minute move involving Colm James, Robbie Doyle and Stephen Fox came to nothing when Fox drilled his shot narrowly wide. Doyle forced John O'Hara into a fine save a minute later before Georgescu rekindled the visitors' hopes with a clever strike.

Bray boss Tony McGuirk praised his players for their "huge performance", while Sligo's Seán Connor was disappointed his players "took their foot off the pedal" when ahead.

SLIGO ROVERS: O'Hara, Peers, Foy, McNamara, Burns, O'Grady, Hughes, Kudozovic, Mansaran, Turner, Singh. Subs: McTiernan for Kudozovic (62 mins).

BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor, Tresson, Gifford, Roche, James, Fox, Georgescu, Keogh, Doyle, Caffrey, D Tyrell. Subs: W Tyrell for Gifford (half-time); O'Brien for D Tyrell (68 mins), Vint for Doyle (86 mins).

Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).