SLIGO ROVERS cruised to a three-point lead at the top of the Airtricity League Premier Division thanks to a comfortable 7-1 defeat of ten-man Galway United at the Showgrounds.

A 35-minute delay to kick-off because of a floodlight problem threatened to spoil the occasion, before Rovers turned on the style with four goals in the opening half.

The first arrived on 15 minutes when Aaron Greene slotted home after a neat one-two with John Russell; and John Dillon smashed home the second from the penalty spot after Ronan Caldwell was red-carded for a foul on Greene in front of goal.

Matthew Blinkhorn made it three from close-range after Russell hit the crossbar, and Alan Keane smashed home the fourth before the break after a clever free-kick from Joseph Ndo.

Blinkhorn’s second followed early in the second half, before Oscar Sibanda pulled one back for Galway.

But Blinkhorn’s third and a seventh goal from Raffaele Cretaro in the last two minutes helped Rovers to an easy win.

SLIGO ROVERS: Clarke, Keane, Peers (Kirby 58), Foran, Davoren (Powell ht), Dillon (Cretaro 66), Ventre, Ndo, Russell, Greene, Blinkhorn.

GALWAY UNITED: Egan, Caldwell, Sinnott, G Kelly, Browne, Gaughan (Dusi 18), S Kelly, Sibanda (Enuibe 82), Kim (Ryan 55), Gilmore, Murphy.

REFEREE: A Buttimer.