Comeback not enough for Bit O'Red | Airtricity League

Comeback not enough for Bit O'Red

A late comeback at The Showgrounds was not enough for Sligo Rovers, who fell to a 2-1 defeat to KS Vllaznia Shkoder.

Rovers conceded two goals against the run of play midway through the second half, and then missed a penalty, as the visitors claimed a precious win.

The unfortunate Alan Keane scored an own goal and missed a penalty, but Raffaele Cretaro did at least hit the target from the spot to give Rovers some hope of the second leg next Thursday.

Rovers started very positively, and Brian Cash got in behind the Vllaznia defence to meet a Cretaro cross on seven minutes, but an offside flag ended the chance.

But Vllaznia showed a threat on the counter on 11 minutes, when Amarildo Belisha hit the target with a snapshot, but Richard Brush showed a safe pair of hands.

They had another decent chance on 16 minutes, when Fetim Kasapi latched onto Dritan Smajli’s throw on the right, but his shot missed the target.

Rovers hit the woodwork on 32 minutes, when Richie Ryan’s ball into the area picked out Cretaro, and his attempted cross clipped Safet Osja and came back off the post.

But Rovers really should have been in front three minutes before the break, when Ventre’s superb ball from deep picked out the lively Morrison, and he brilliantly controlled it before picking out Boco’s run to the far post. Unfortunately for the Benin international, his shot on the volley smashed off the crossbar.

The second half began in much the same vein, with Rovers dominating, but unable to force their way through. And the Albanians almost made them pay on 53 minutes, when Kasapi exchanged passes with Smajli and fired a dangerous ball across the face of goal. But Steve Feeney and Keane combined to clear the danger.

Rovers made a change after this, as Jason Noctor replaced Steve Feeney, but Smajlaj broke the deadlock on another counter attack on 69 minutes, as he cut in from the left and fired across Brush and into the net from outside the area.

And they doubled their advantage just six minutes later, when Danny Ventre could not deal with Shtubina’s cross, and the ball came off Keane and crept just inside the post.

Keane’s misfortune was doubled on 81 minutes, when he smashed a spot-kick off the crossbar after Cretaro’s chip had been handled by Beqiri in the box.

But Cretaro made no mistake when he was handed responsibility from the spot on 88 minutes, after goalkeeper Armir Grimaj had inexplicably hit out at Richie Ryan despite having the ball safely in his hands.

Rovers almost got a late equaliser when O’Grady teed-up Boco inside the area, but his shot lacked power and Bishani saved.

Sligo: Richard Brush, Alan Keane, Danny Ventre, Steve Feeney (Jason Noctor 64), Shaun Holmes, Brian Cash (Sean Doherty 73), Conor O’Grady (captain), Richie Ryan, Owen Morrison, Raffaele Cretaro, Romuald Boco.
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Christopher Kelly, Danny Keohane, Jason Noctor, Eoin Torpey.

Vllaznia: Armir Grimaj, Dritan Smajlaj, Zeljko Mrvaljevic, Safet Osja, Ndricim Shtubina, Amarildo Belisha, Vioresin Sinani (captain) (Bekim Balaj 85), Fetim Kasapi (Olti Bishani 87), Rqaman Hallagi, Elvin Beqiri, Ilir Nallbani.
Subs not used: Marko Basic, Edon Hasani, Armando Vajushi, Ansi Nika, Alis Baci.

Referee: Christof Virant (Belgium).

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