LEADERS Bohemians opened up a two point gap at the top of the Premier Division with three fine goals as they inflicted a second successive defeat on Dermot Keely's Home Farm/Everton at Whitehall on Saturday night.

The depth of Turlough O'Connor's squad was emphasised in the return to the first team of defenders Robbie Best and Kevin Brady, both making their first appearances of the domestic season with Eoin Mullen and Tony O'Connor pushing up into midfield. Just what O'Connor will do when he has a fully fit squad, is a problem that must be the envy of every manager in the country.

This was Bohemians' 14th successive competitive match without defeat and on this form they will have few contenders capable of depriving them of a first title in 19 years.

Their first strike after 18 minutes is a candidate for goal of the season. Derek Swan chested a clearance down and laid it wide on the left to Mullen, who knocked it first time back into Paul Doolin. He played it first time up to O'Connor, who touched it wide again to the advancing Mullen, who crossed to Swan, who volleyed into the top left hand corner of Brian O'Shea's net from IS yards, his fourth league goal of the season.

The second goal on 65 minutes was more direct but clinically executed. Doolin played a pass right through the heart of the Home Farm defence from just inside his own half, Peter Hanrahan ran on to it and calmly slotted the ball under O'Shea and into the corner.

Nine minutes later Doolin once more provided the telling pass for a goal, this time for O'Connor to cleverly lob O'Shea from some 25 yards.

Keely had said in the match programme: "I like winners and the high octane smell of success has a strong appeal to my sporting instincts."

His team competed well in their previous match with Shamrock Rovers, but on Saturday they seemed to lack a little bite and simply gave the ball away too easily. And the way they are playing at the moment, there is no better team than Bohemians to punish mistakes.