Drogheda United 1 Sligo Rovers 0:Just when it appeared this one was heading for a draw league leaders Drogheda United struck for the most dramatic of late winning goals three minutes into stoppage time.

The home side couldn't find a way past a resolute Sligo defence and their outstanding goalkeeper Richard Brush all night until virtually the last kick of the match.

United won a free on the right side of the Sligo box when Guy Bates was upended. Paul Keegan floated the ball into a crowded goal mouth where centre half Jason Gavin forced the ball home for a precious winner.

Drogheda almost took the lead directly from the kick off when Eamon Zayed caught the visitors' defence cold when unleashing a shot that Brush did really well to push round the post.

Drogheda pushed forward at every opportunity and were again denied a lead goal by Brush who stopped Shelley's strike from 30 yards.

Sligo's only clear-cut chance of the opening half arrived in the 23rd minute when Rafael Cretaro's cross from the right picked out Fahrudin Kudozovic, who saw his powerful header prevented from entering the net by Dan Connor's legs.

The rebound also fell to Kudozovic with the goal at his mercy but he scuffed his shot.

The early stages of the second half followed the same pattern as the first with Drogheda doing all of the pressing but the Sligo defence holding firm.

Gavin's late winner was well deserved and secures three points that sees Drogheda move 11 points clear at the top of the table with five games remaining.

DROGHEDA: Connor, Webb, Gavin, Gartland, Robinson, Shelley, Zayed (Byrne, 61), Keegan, Bates, Cahill (Keddy, 83), Baker (Grant, 78).

SLIGO: Brush, Ventre, Foy, Peers, McKenzie, O'Grady, Cretaro (Cash, 67), Boyd, Judge (Manson, 75), Kudozovic, Gordon.

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).