Sligo Rovers and Bohemians picked up a point a piece at the Showgrounds, although both sides will feel they could have taken all three points following a thrilling scoreless draw.
The result likely does more for the Bit O’Red than the Gypsies, with Rovers moving level with eighth placed Galway United in their bid to climb the league ladder.
While for Bohs, the point places them to within six of champions-elect Shamrock Rovers, who have two games more to play than their Dublin rivals.
Plotting a way out of the league’s bottom two spots for the first time since March, a resurgent Rovers, with three wins in their last five on all fronts, made just one change from their win in Waterford last Friday. The move was enforced given the terms of on-loan midfielder James McManus, who is ineligible to face his parent club. McManus was replaced in the heart of the Rovers XI by Ciaron Harkin, the former Derry man’s third start since signing last month.
Sighting a second win on the bounce against a relegation threatened side following their win over Cork eight nights previous, Bohs boss Alan Reynolds brought duo Rob Cornwall and James Clarke back into the starting eleven in place of the recently departed Liam Smith and the benched Connor Parsons.
Only Derry City have amassed more points (19) than Sligo since the summer break and it was the hosts who fashioned the first opportunity of this encounter.
Elding set upon a poor backpass from Jordan Flores towards Cornwall, winning possession before cutting inside and rifling an effort which was tipped over by an acrobatic stop from Kacper Chorazka.
Both sides had chances shortly after, during an open and entertaining first half.
Flores almost capitalised but could only nod a free-header from a Dayle Rooney corner over Sam Sargeant’s crossbar. While Ross Tierney headed a Rooney set piece over six minutes later.
Rovers did have the ball in the Bohs net on 26 minutes but the slipping Jad Hakiki was adjudged offside as he scrambled Sean Stewart’s cross past Chorazka. While the Bohs net minder had to use both fists to keep another Elding stinger out just before the half hour.
There were chances at both ends as the interval approached.
The lively Elding pounced on a poor pass from a struggling Cornwall, but the much-scouted teen striker could only blast over from the edge of the area.
The Dubliners might have led at the break, only for Clarke to stab his effort wide as Rovers looked loose at the back.
Sargeant kept the scores even eight minutes into the second half as he pulled off a stunning one handed stop to keep out Flores’ drive at goal from a Devoy assist.
The Rovers ‘keeper was again alert on 58 minutes to tip a Rooney header from a Clarke cross, on to the frame of his goal as the visitors pushed for an opener.
Both Will Fitzgerald and Clarke went close for their sides as this contest somehow remained deadlocked.
The Phibsboro outfit switched their approach with the introduction from the bench of Connor Parson and Colm Whelan to their attack. While Rovers moved Elding to the wing in an effort to stretch the Bohs rearguard, with Wilson Waweru brought on to occupy the centre forward role.
Waweru went close late on, while Bohs had plenty of play around the Rovers penalty area but couldn’t breach Sargeant’s goal-line.
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Edwin Agbaje (Daire Pattom 77), Ollie Denham, Paddy McClean, Sean Stewart; Seb Quirk, Ciaron Harkin (Wilson Waweru 83); Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane (Matty Wolfe 64); Owen Elding.
Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Niall Morahan, Rob Cornwall, Cian Byrne, Jordan Flores; Dawson Devoy, Adam McDonnell (Keith Buckley 75); Ross Tierney (Connor Parsons 75), James Clarke, Dayle Rooney (Archie Meekison 82); Douglas James-Taylor (Colm Whelan 75).
Referee: Paul Norton.
Attendance: 2,754.
David Goulden