Max Mata’s second-half strike gives Sligo hope of making it into the second round of the Europa Conference League, as they take a 2-1 cushion to The Showgrounds next week.

The Bit O Red showed determination to come from 1-0 behind early in the opening half, to take the lead but a late scare saw them down to 10 men for the last ten minutes, but they stayed composed to take the win.

Off the back of the win against Shelbourne, Rovers motivated by 500 loud travelling supporters, helped them get over the line this evening, they will be fully motivated ahead of next week’s crucial showdown.

The hosts put the pressure on early against the travelling Irish outfit, who did well to hold out but the deadlock was finally broken after six minutes, Lassana Mendes hitting a long range effort from outside the area, going over Ed McGinty and into the net, possible questions about the goalkeeping but a mistake by Nando Pijnaker in the buildup, lead to the opener in Oswestry.

Sligo never let their heads drop after the goal, it almost gave them the drive to wake up and realise they had a game to play this evening, the spark coming from Paddy Kirk whose effort was saved by Alex Ramsay in the Bala goal, after 12 minutes.

Max Mata should have given the Bit O Red an equalising goal as we hit the 25th minute, his goal-bound headed effort needed both the outstretched Ramsay and the goalpost to keep the scoreline at 1-0.

Rovers would have their goal just minutes later, more than they deserved as Aidan Keena made a great run through the heart of the Bala backline, before lofting a chip shot over the frame of Ramsay into the back of the net from outside the area, making it 1-1 after 28 minutes.

McGinty had to be sharp to deny a Chris Venables shot just minutes later, remaining all Sligo however as they really stepped up the pressure, Keena looked to add a second but his ambitious effort from range went over the crossbar by some distance, as the teams went in deadlocked at the interval.

The half time chat in the Sligo dressing room seemed to work as Mata would get his goal four minutes into the second half, the Kiwi on hand to pounce from close range and through a mountain of bodies, get the ball over the line for the lead.

Sligo had the possession in the second half, Keena easily could have made it 3-1 by the 70th minute Pijnaker with a sensational long pass into the Mullingar forward, Ramsay smart in goal to shuffle off his line to close down the angle.

Huge momentum swing in the final quarter for the tie, Venables having a great headed effort go just wide as Mcginty was beaten in the Sligo net, shortly after Pijnaker was shown a straight red card for a last man tackle, despite leading 2-1 the mountain was looking harder to climb for the Westerners. 

Sligo had effective and precise game management to edge their Welsh hosts out in the end, a better performance than 12 months previous, the loss of Pijnaker for the second leg will be a massive blow, the west will be heard all the way in Shropshire this evening, their first European win since 2014.