Cork City manager John Caulfield hailed his side's resilience as they came from a goal down and overcame a missed penalty to beat Sligo Rovers 2-1 at the Showgrounds last night.
City extended their unbeaten league run to 15 games and are a massive 16 points clear at the top of the table but they didn’t have it all their own way against Sligo.
Kieran Sadlier gave the Bit O'Red a half-time lead courtesy of a 23rd-minute penalty.
Cork’s Sean Maguire then missed a spot-kick early in the second half before Achille Campion equalised from close range.
Kevin O’Connor then scored what proved to be the winner directly from a corner.
Caulfield admitted afterwards that his side had to dig deep for victory but was happy with the way they stuck to their game-plan.
"We started really well and had two or three great opportunities to go ahead but we didn’t," he told RTÉ Sport.
"Obviously then Sligo scored from the penalty which we felt it wasn’t, but it was given.
Goals from tonight’s games as Cork, Shamrock Rovers and Finn Harps all won. #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/JAHN3GkpXm
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) May 22, 2017
"You’re 1-0 down in the match and they’re playing on the counter-attack, a good side at home, so we just felt at half-time we needed to up our performance and we had a super second-half.
"We were well in control, played well and missed a penalty but that still didn’t knock us. There’s a great spirit in the team and even though we missed the penalty we still kept going.
"When we equalised I felt we’d get the winner and thankfully we did, so we’re delighted with the three points."
The City boss insists that his side are not getting distracted by their unbeaten run although he did claim that other sides are raising their game against Cork now.
"We just have to keep winning," he said.
"To be fair to the boys, it’s not about keeping their focus because they’re a fantastic bunch, it’s just that every team are raising their game.
"You have to treat every team now as if they’re going to play above themselves and that’s what’s happening.
"We don’t talk about it, it’s immaterial. I know it’s an old cliché but your next game is your most important, that’s worth three points and if we look after ourselves we’ll be fine."
However, despite what already appears to be an unassailable 16-point lead at the top of the table, Caulfield is remaining cautious when it comes to talk of the Leesiders winning the league.
"There’s a long, long way to go. We have to make sure that when we get to October we’re in the running for the league and that’s what we hope to do."
