Comeback victory sees Sligo claim first-leg advantage in Wales

Sligo Rovers hold a slender advantage going into next week's second leg after they beat Bala Town in their Europa Conference League first round, first leg tie at Park Hall.

Lassana Mendes had given the Welsh side an early lead, but Sligo managed to turn the game on its head with goals from front men Aidan Keena and Max Mata.

Rovers finished the game with ten men after Nando Pijnaker was dismissed on 79 minutes.

Looking to progress through a round of European football for just the second time in their history, Sligo were unchanged from their win over Shelbourne on home soil last weekend.

Any plans the visitors had to control the pace of this game from the off, went out the window early on as the Welsh side hit the lead after just six minutes.

Rovers’ New Zealand international Pijnaker failed to make contact with the ball as he attempted to clear Paul Rutherford’s cross. The ball instead landing at the feet of Mendes who rifled the ball past Ed McGinty from the edge of the area.

Sligo did create opportunities, but looked like they might be left frustrated by a well-oiled Bala machine.

Town goalkeeper Alex Ramsay got a finger-tip to Paddy Kirk’s effort from 20 yards after space opened up in front of the Dubliner. While Keena fired wide off a Mata lay-off.

Ramsay again got a touch to a Rovers effort on 25 when he reacted in time to get the slightest of touches on Mata’s header.

John Russell’s side then levelled the contest on 28 minutes.

Keena showed superb control to trap Karl O’Sullivan’s cross, before nonchalantly lobbing the ball over Ramsay’s head for his twelfth goal of the season.

Full match details

Rovers had to call on their number one McGinty to keep out Chris Venables' snapshot ten minutes from the break. While Keena fired