Bohemians go top with win over St Pat’s

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Bohemians 2

Bohemians moved to the summit of the Premier Division with a two-goal triumph over St Patrick’s Athletic in a Dublin derby encounter at Richmond Park on Friday night.

While they breathed a sigh of relief when Saints midfielder Chris Forrester had a goal ruled out in the opening moments, the ever-passionate Bohs faithful were given a reason to rejoice in the 17th-minute of the contest. From an enticing cross by Ali Coote on the left-flank, Gypsies striker Jonathan Afolabi rose highest to head powerfully into the St Pat’s net.

Trailing by a goal at the break on their home patch, St Pat’s were looking for a spark on the resumption to avoid a third straight league defeat in the early weeks of this year’s top-flight. They nearly got it 10 minutes into the second half, but Gypsies custodian James Talbot produced a superb stop to turn away Thomas Lonergan’s close-range header.

Tim Clancy’s hosts then suffered a setback when Jamie Lennon was dismissed for a second yellow card offence inside the final-quarter. Although St Pat’s battled admirably in his absence, Bohs’ fourth victory of the season was confirmed when substitute Dean Williams found the net in stoppage-time.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Odumosu; Grivosti (Lewis, 16 mins), Redmond, McGrath (Carty, 77 mins); Curtis, Forrester, Kreida, Lennon, Breslin; Lonergan (Doyle, 70 mins), Mulraney (Atakayi, 70 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Horton, Nowak, Radkowski, Kirk; Flores, McManus; Coote, McDonnell (Clarke, 87 mins), Akintunde (McDaid, 63 mins); Afolabi (Williams, 57 mins).

Referee: N Doyle (Dublin).