Sligo Rovers manager Gerard Lyttle was thrilled after his side demolished Limerick 3-0 at the Showgrounds last night.
Raffaele Cretaro, Jonah Ayunga and Kieran Sadlier scored the goal as the Bitored blew Limerick away to claim the three points. The win lifted Rovers out of the relegation zone and up to eighth in the table.
Lyttle was very pleased for his players after the game saying, “It feels bloody good to get the win. It’s something the boys really deserve for the amount of hard work they have put in since I’ve came.”
“It’s important that we continue to work hard every week in training, and in games, to achieve our goal which is to win games of football.”
“I think in all fairness it’s been coming. We have talent in our team, so when you put talent and work ethic together it can only be good.”
On veteran Raffaele Cretaro, who moved into second in the all-time leading goalscorers list at the club, he said,”Raff has been a joy to work with. I wish he was 10 years younger, but in fairness he’s training and playing as a 20 year old. He has such a good influence around the club with players and supporters. The club means so much to him. It’s up to us to manage him in terms of his training load so that he’s fresh going into games.”
Cretaro 35, was given a standing ovation by the crowd at the Showgrounds, lies second behind Johnny Armstrong. Armstrong scored a whopping 138 goals for the club between 1952 and 1964. It’s a phenomenal record which will probably never be broken.
Lyttle continued, “Last night’s performance was a team performance. We all stuck together from the 11 to the subs that came on, and to the subs that didn’t get on. I want my players fighting to get into that starting 11 and making sure they stay in it.”
Cretaro said, “It was a fantastic team performance. Sadds and Jonah scoring again, and myself chipping in with with one. It’s great so it is, and that puts me in second place for all-time goal scorer for Rovers. I’m absolutely humbled to be in the position I’m in. Hopefully now we can drive on from here with that confidence boosting win.”