Sligo Rovers jumped into third place in the Premier Division after a somewhat nervy win over Drogheda United at the Showgrounds.
Max Mata's double had the Bit O'Red ahead by two at half-time, but John Russell's side did have to rely on several smart saves from goalkeeper Ed McGinty.
Andrew Quinn's 58th minute goal had Drogs back in this one, but Rovers, assisted by further McGinty stops, held on and finally saw off the visitors late on when Wilson Waweru's back-heeled finish secured the points for the Connacht side.
Sligo found the going tough against Drogheda last year, failing to beat the Louthmen in five attempts and despite trailing by two at the break, it was the visitors who created the more chances.
McGinty pulled off a number of impressive stops throughout both halves. The first of these coming three minutes in when the Oxford loanee denied Frantz Pierrot, while the same man scrambled to keep out Quinn 60 seconds later.
Sligo had a shout for a penalty on the quarter hour when Andrew Wogan clumsily chopped down Mata inside his area. Referee Eoghan O'Shea deliberating before deciding against awarding the spot-kick.
The hosts hadn't scored in front of their own faithful since September last year, opening up a new club record of five Showgrounds outings without a goal.
Mata ended that run on 21 minutes when he slid in at the front post to meet Ellis Chapman's cross for his third goal of the year. While the New Zealander netted in similar fashion five minutes later, converting JR Wilson's ball cross after impressive work in the build-up between Simon Power and Conor Malley.
Kevin Doherty's side finished the half on the front foot but again, their luck was out. McGinty reacting in time to deny former Rovers man Jack Keaney, while Warren Davis struck the foot of the post two minutes from the break.
Rovers were just inches from a third early in the second half when their other Kiwi, Nando Pijnaker, nodded Fabrice Hartmann's cross across Wogan's goal.
United did half the deficit shortly before the hour. Steve Bawa's initial header came back off the Sligo crossbar before Quinn followed up to bundle the ball across the line.
Beaten in two of their last five leage outings, Drogs would have been keen not to drop any further points in the north west. McGinty again did his best to keep his side in the lead when he somehow clawed away Pierrot's close range header from an Aaron McNally cross fifteen minutes from the end.
Substitute Waweru settled the Sligo nerves four minutes from the end when he pulled of a clever, improvised finish. The former Galway striker cheekily back-heeling his shot beyond Wogan for his first goal for the club following build up play from both Power and debutant Rein Smit.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson (Charlie Wiggett 76), Nando Pijnaker, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan; Connor Malley (Rein Smit 78), Ellis Chapman (Kailin Barlow 65); Simon Power, Fabrice Hartmann (Will Fitzgerald 64); Max Mata (Wilson Waweru 76).
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Andrew Quinn, Jack Keaney, Evan Weir, Conor Kane; Oisin Gallagher (Ryan Brennan 62), Gary Deegan; Warren Davis (Aaron McNally 74), Steve Bawa (Kailin Cailloce 63); Darragh Markey; Frantz Pierrot.
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea.
Attendance: 2.243.
