In-form Max Mata strike earns Sligo Rovers share of spoils with Drogheda United

Sligo Rovers and Drogheda United remained tied on points in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table after the visitors came away from the Showgrounds with a point.

Veteran Ryan Brennan fired the Louth side into the lead on 52 minutes, but that advantage lasted little more than ten minutes when Max Mata returned to the top of the league's scoring charts, the New Zealander heading home for his seventh of the season.

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Looking for a return to form following a poor second half showing against Shelbourne in Dublin on Monday last, Sligo made two changes. Reece Hutchinson and Stefan Radosavljevic returned to the starting XI, while Drogs boss Kevin Doherty also made two changes from their recent loss to St Patrick's Athletic, with Emmanuel Adegboyega and Darragh Markey both returning.

The visitors were the form team coming into this clash, with two wins in their last five compared to Rovers’ single victory over the same number of games.

Played out on a sodden Showgrounds surface, the first half offered very little in terms of entertainment.

The inclement weather may have played its part early on, when United goalkeeper Colin McCabe had to scramble to palm Reece Hutchinson’s swerving cross over his crossbar six minutes in. While Drogs had their first effort in anger on 29 minutes when Ryan Brennan picked out Dylan Grimes at the front post.

The former Longford Town attacker beat his marker to the ball, but could only head over Luke McNicholas’ goal from close range.

Defences remained on top until the break. An awkward bounce from John Mahon’s clearance from well inside his own half, which almost caught McCabe out just shy of the interval, the closest the first half came to an opener.

Rovers have failed to keep