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Fenlon's new mix leave winter blues behind

Bray Wanderers 1 Bohemians 3: PAT FENLON’S rearranged blend of old and new buried Bohemians’ winter of discontent as they began…

PAUL BUTTNER at the Carlisle Grounds
Sat Mar 05 2011 - 00:00

Bray Wanderers 1 Bohemians 3:PAT FENLON'S rearranged blend of old and new buried Bohemians' winter of discontent as they began the season with three morale-boosting points at Bray.

Bohemians were positive from the first whistle, and that above-mentioned experience and youth combined for what should have been the lead goal as early as two minutes in.

Veteran skipper Owen Heary, playing in central defence, headed clear, straight down the middle to put Christy Fagan in on goal.

Matt Gregg was fully alert and off his line to save well at the one-time Manchester United trainee’s feet.

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The Gypsies’ maintained their bright start and Anto Flood wasn’t too far off target after their second corner of the night from Killian Brennan on eight minutes.

But Bray settled and the pressure of four corners brought them the lead on 20 minutes.

Ger O’Brien handled a Joe Kendrick corner under pressure from Danny O’Connor, who’d brought a point-blank save from rookie Bohemians’ goalkeeper Craig Sexton minutes earlier.

Jake Kelly emphatically blasted his spot kick to the roof of the visitors’ net.

A penalty at the other end had Bohemians level on 31 minutes.

Lee Dixon worked a one-two with Fagan before being taken down by Bray right-back Daire Doyle.

Fagan confidently sent Gregg the wrong way from the spot kick.

Eight minutes later another deadball situation had Bohemians in front.

Kendrick was booked for hauling down Dixon and Brennan found the top corner with a stunning free-kick from 20 yards.

Bohemians weathered Bray’s early onslaught on the resumption, relieving the pressure around the hour mark with a breakaway that saw Dixon cut in from the left side and shoot narrowly over the top.

Five minutes later, a delightful goal extended Bohemians lead, to effectively seal the win on 65 minutes.

Fagan fed the ball in to Stephen Traynor, one of three youngsters making their league debut, who showed terrific awareness to pick out the better-placed Flood who shot home.

Bray ought to have reduced the arrears four minutes later but goal-scorer Kelly crashed his penalty off the crossbar after O’Brien had tripped substitute John Mulroy.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Doyle (Webster, half-time), Mitchell, Kendrick, Massey; G Kelly, Dempsey, O'Connor (Mulroy 66 mins), J Kelly; Shields, O'Neill (McGuinness 72 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Sexton; Rossiter (Lopez, 82 mins), Heary, Price, Cahill; Brennan, Traynor, O'Brien (Somers 79 mins), Dixon; Flood, Fagan.

Referee: T Connolly(Dublin).