A superb Mikie Rowe hat-trick earned Wexford a rousing victory against promotion-chasing Cobh Ramblers in an absorbing SSE Airtricity League of Ireland First Division clash played in dreadful conditions in Ferrycarrig Park.
The visitors looked to be on their way to victory when a sensational 70th-minute strike from Dylan McGlade gave them a 2-1 lead, but Rowe grabbed his second goal of the game from the penalty spot to draw Wexford level, before netting the winner in the 87th minute.
A win would have seen Cobh Ramblers close to within three points of leaders Dundalk, with the Lilywhites not playing until tomorrow night, when they travel to Bishopsgate to take on Longford Town.
However, it was an opportunity missed for the County Cork side as they failed to put pressure on the league leaders, while it was a real shot in the arm for Wexford's hopes of securing a play-off place.
Rowe had fired the Slaneysiders in front in the 21st minute but the lead didn't last long as Ramblers soon struck back through Rhys Gourdie to ensure the sides went in level at the break.
The hosts began the contest brightly and had their first sight of goal with just a minute on the clock as Ajibola Oluwabiya hared down the left following a quick break and squared for Ben McCormack, whose shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.
Moments later they threatened again as Rowe whipped in an inviting cross from the right and Aaron Dobbs headed narrowly over the crossbar.
The pair were involved again when Wexford did hit the front midway through the opening half, although Cobh could certainly be forgiven for feeling aggrieved as there was a strong case for the offside flag to be raised. Dobbs delivered a defence-splitting through ball for Rowe to run on to and the winger made no mistake confidently sliding a low shot past Timothy Martin for his 19th goal of the season.
Having weathered an early storm, it took the visitors just 12 minutes to get back on level terms as Cian Murphy knocked the ball down to Gourdie and the Scot applied a neat finish past substitute goalkeeper Alex Moody, who had replaced the injured Paul Martin in the 20th minute.
The goal certainly gave Mick McDermott’s team impetus, and the prolific Barry Coffey tried his luck in the 39th minute, turning smartly before firing straight at the netminder.
Moody was called into action again in first half injury time, this time getting down well to his left to thwart Cian Bargary.
Coffey came close to adding another to his impressive tally in the 53rd minute but Moody dived to his right to deny the midfielder his 22nd goal of a fruitful campaign.
Wexford manager Stephen Elliott was shown a red card in the 58th minute and his outlook could have worsened moments later, but Coffey couldn’t get enough on his header from a McGlade corner to trouble Moody.
However, Ramblers did get their noses in front in the 70th minute, and they did so in style as McGlade fired a superb 25-yard strike to the corner of the net and they then came close to grabbing the insurance goal, but Moody did well to block a stinging Gourdie shot.
This time Wexford were quick to respond and, when referee John Sconnie Walsh pointed to the spot, the ever-reliable Rowe did the needful and fired the penalty to the left-hand side of the net.
They threatened to take the lead in the 86th minute when the lively Ajibola Oluwabiyi saw his shot saved and Rowe couldn’t force the follow-up home from a tight angle.
Ramblers’ relief was short-lived though as McCormack dinked in a cross from the right wing which was met by a diving Rowe header at the near post to give the hosts a 3-2 advantage.
Cobh threw the kitchen sink at their opponents to try to rescue something from the game, but Moody stood firm and Wexford took the spoils.
Elsewhere, Bray Wanderers edged closer to Ramblers and are now just four points off second place following a 3-2 win over Finn Harps.
Hans Mpongo opened the scoring for the visitors in the 27th minute at the Carlisle Grounds but Billy O'Neill levelled matters six minutes later.
Bray were reduced to ten men in the 39th minute as Sean Brennan saw red, while Gavin McAteer restored Harps' lead four minutes before half-time.
But two second-half penalties, both converted by Max Murphy, either side of an Aaron McLaughin red card, saw Wanderers come back to take all three points.
And there was another five-goal thriller in Limerick as Treaty United beat Athlone Town 3-2 at the Markets Field.
An early Patrick Ferry goal handed the home side the lead, however, Athlone were level on the stroke of half-time thanks to Dean Williams' penalty.
It was the visitors who took the lead in the 60th minute through Jason Oyenuga, however, Mark Byrne made it 2-2 in the 69th minute before a last-gasp Lee Devitt penalty secured it for Treaty.
Just the three goals in the night's other game as Kerry were brought back down to earth following their FAI Cup heroics, losing 2-1 to UCD at the UCD Bowl.
Goals in either half from Eanna Clancy and Declan Osagie handed the Students a two-goal lead, and although Ronan Teahan got one back for the visitors, the Dublin club would hold on for the win and the three points.
Wexford: Paul Martin (Alex Moody 20); Evan Osam, Michael McCarthy, Dean Larkin, James Crawford Ryan Butler (69); Zayd Abada, Kaylem Harnett (Muhammad Haris 74); Mikie Rowe, Ben McCormack, Ajibola Oluwabiyi; Aaron Dobbs (capt.)
Cobh Ramblers: Timothy Martin; Iestyn Hughes (Samuel Bellis 75), Cian Coleman (capt.), Jonas Hakkinen, John O’Donovan; Niall O’Keeffe (Harvey Cribb 63); Rhys Gourdie, Barry Coffey; Cian Bargary, Cian Murphy, Dylan McGlade (Matthew Whelan 75)
Referee: John Sconnie Walsh (Waterford)
