Late Sligo comeback sends City spiralling

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It was set to be one of the most important games of the last five years for City as they set out to face off against relegation rivals Sligo Rovers in Turner’s Cross live on Virgin Media. The gap between the two sides was eight points heading into the encounter with City needing a win to stand any realistic chance of survival. The game followed the news of the signing of Kaedyn Kamara on loan from Preston, and the news that following the expiration of his contract at the end of the season Malik Dijksteel will join St Mirren, but it is rumoured that he could join this window for a fee.

Ger Nash made three changes to the side that got past Leicester Celtic in the second round of the FAI Cup, with Malik Dijksteel, Freddie Anderson and Charlie Lutz all missing out. Seani Maguire, Evan McLaughlin and Harry Nevin came into the side.

City started the brighter of the two sides and took the lead with seven minutes gone. Seani Maguire played the ball along the edge of the box to Kitt Nelson, who fed it into Evan McLaughlin in the right hand side of the box. He sized up Patrick McClean before cutting in on his left foot and burying the ball into the near corner past Sam Sargeant to give the hosts the lead.

It was all City in the games early stages and the hosts should've doubled their lead nine minutes later. Conor Brann sent a long ball forward over the top of the Sligo defence that was latched onto by Seani Maguire. Maguire let the ball bounce and tried to lift the ball over Sargeant. But instead he guided the ball into the hands of the goalkeeper.

City had another opportunity after half an hour. A long throw from Rory Feely caused mayhem in the Sligo box. Fiacre Kelleher managed to backheel it to Kitt Nelson at the edge of the box who got a shot away. But the shot was dealt with by Sargeant.

It was Nelson again causing trouble for the Sligo back four ten minutes later. The Preston loanee led a City counter attack and ran at the Sligo defence before unleashing a shot from the edge of the box but it didn't really trouble Sargeant as the chance was wasted.

That was the last proper action of the first half as City dominated the visitors but only had one goal to show for it.

The second half started a lot more promisingly and it only took Sligo five minutes to create a chance. Will Fitzgerald played a great one-two with Conor Reynolds down the right hand side before Fitzgerald cut in and whipped a brilliant shot towards the top left corner, but Conor Brann superbly tipped it over the bar.

It was the fifty sixth minute where despite Sligo’s good spell, it was City who doubled their lead. Kitt Nelson slipped the ball down towards the byline to Alex Nolan who pulled it across goal. Seani Maguire got on the end of it but his effort was saved by Sargeant. Maguire picked up the loose ball and buried a shot on the turn into the back of the Sligo net to give his side a two goal cushion.

That cushion only lasted four minutes though as Sligo grabbed a goal back that was well deserved. Sligo broke on the counter as Jad Hakiki slipped the ball into the left channel to Owen Elding. Elding took aim at goal but Conor Brann managed to parry his effort. Elding got on the end of the loose ball though and tapped the ball into the back of the net at the second time of asking to get Sligo back into the game.

Sligo kept the pressure on a tiring City team and found an equaliser with twelve minutes to go. A Will Fitzgerald corner landed on the head of an unmarked Patrick McClean who glanced a header into the bottom right corner to bring the match back level.

Both teams were looking to grab a winner and City came inches from doing so in the eighty eighth minute. Kaedyn Kamara played the ball out to the right to Alex Nolan. Nolan took on multiple Sligo defenders and cut inside before curling a shot from the edge of the box which rattled the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the line before being cleared.

This allowed Sligo to go down the other end and grab a winner. A long ball forward was knocked down by Francely Lomboto and picked up by Jad Hakiki. Hakiki fed the ball into the left side of the box to Ryan O’Kane, who cut inside and powered a shot past Conor Brann at his near post despite the keeper getting a hand on it. 

City spent added time looking for an equaliser and a winner but despite being denied a strong penalty shout, City couldn't find a goal and fell to a 3-2 loss. It’s a heartbreaking loss that has extremely detrimental impacts on City. It’s a loss that all but seals relegation for City as they face their third relegation this decade. This was a preventable defeat which makes this that much worse. In my opinion Ger Nash and the line in general showed incompetence in dealing and managing the game. City players were visibly tired on the pitch and we took far too long to make changes. To be fair the changes in tactics did work in the first half but we had no answer as soon as Sligo showed improvement. I thought a few City players had good games, especially in the first half. Seani Maguire, Josh Fitzpatrick and Evan McLaughlin in particular. I don't think it's a game to go and blame the players, this one was lost on the line. Looking at the broader picture though, it's the management of the football club that must hold accountability for this season and the ones that went before it in my opinion. Some of the stuff this club has done in the past has been outstanding, whether it's the night in Malmo, the draw against Bayern or Cummins’ goal in Tolka Park, but at the moment it's a dark period where all fans have to stick together.

My Man of the Match goes to Owen Elding. Even in the first half where Sligo weren't on it, Elding still caused City issues, but it was the second half where the youngster shone. He was imperative to Sligo’s attacks and got the goal that got them back in the game. The highly rated youngster showed again why he's sought after by some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

City will be looking to pull off a great escape, starting with Galway United in the Cross on Friday. As for Sligo, they'll host Shelbourne in the Showgrounds on Saturday.