Sligo Rovers maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a 3-1 win over Dundalk at Oriel Park as in-form striker Anthony Elding rattled home his fifth goal in the last four games.

Goals from Raffaele Cretaro and Gavin Peers gave the reigning champions a two-goal lead at the break before the former Grimsby Town striker ended the game as a contest when he headed home a Cretaro cross in the 53rd minute to put Sligo 3-0 ahead and in the driving seat at the top of the Airtricity League.

Dundalk pulled one back through a Kurtis Byrne goal but it was not enough to stop Stephen Kenny’s unbeaten start as Lilywhites manager from coming to an end.

Dundalk failed to heed the early warning signs and just three minutes had elapsed when the Bit O’Red forged ahead. Again they found joy on the flanks. Raffaele Cretaro picked up possession wide right and cut in past the feeble challenge of Eoghan Osborne to drill the ball through Cherrie’s legs.

Sligo continued to dominate the possession count but they showed little signs of opening Dundalk up again although Gaynor did smash another effort just over Cherrie’s bar in the 28th minute. The hosts were left with a mountain to climb going into the break as Sligo doubled their lead five minutes before half-time.

Gaynor was the architect, going down under a John Sullivan challenge to win a soft free from referee Paul Tuite. The Ardee native picked himself up to deliver a great free-kick which was turned home by the unmarked Gavin Peers.

Any notions of a Dundalk comeback were put to bed when Baraclough's side pulled three goals in front thanks to Elding. Cretaro’s tasty cross from the right found the striker hovering menacingly between Andy Boyle and John Sullivan and he made no mistake from eight yards out.

Dundalk pulled one back in the 68th minute courtesy of Kurtis Byrne and were unlucky when sub Darren Meenan shaved the outside of the post.