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@bfcdublin Bohemians produced a second strong performance in the space of four days, and in doing so, recorded back-to-back league wins, Shane Quinn reports. The Gypsies have gained significant ground on the teams above them in that time, and it is now a matter of pushing further up the table.
 After failing to win in their first 14 league games, Drogheda boss Mick Cooke (left) is slowly getting a grip of his team, as they had won three of their past five meetings prior to this one. Drogheda did not play particularly well on Friday, but the poor weather seemed to have affected them especially. Dalymount Park has not witnessed too may days where it rained so heavily for so long, as it did here. But the pitch held up superbly well to the deluge of water, which is an acknowledgment to the excellent work of the club groundsman Stuart Caul.
Bohs were buoyed by their vital win in Bray on Monday, and were glad to improve their modest home form tonight.
The Gypsies got off to precisely the start manager Pat Fenlon would have wanted in the sixth minute. The home side were helped by an error from centre-back Alan McNally, which allowed Anto Flood to put through Christy Fagan (below), who coolly finished past keeper Stephen Trimble. 
The in-form Fagan is proving quite a shrewd signing for the club. And following another mistake by McNally in the 19th minute, when he attempted an ambitious pass from the outside of the boot, Fagan pounced to play in Flood. On this occasion, Trimble sped quickly from his goal making himself big to block Flood’s shot clear.
Drogheda were seriously struggling in the early stages, and after more sloppy play, Mark Rossiter blasted from distance. Rossiter has proved in the past he has an explosive shot in his arsenal, and this effort from 30 yards had to be acrobatically finger-tipped over by Trimble.
A rare goal from Liam Burns almost came about when the Ulster man’s shot from 18 yards was headed off the line by winger Colin O’Brien. Trimble in the Drogheda goal was having a fine game as the Bohs domination continued late in the first half. Robert Bayly curled a fine shot from 20 yards with Trimble getting down smartly to tip around the right-hand post.
Taking into account how well Bohs played in the lashing rain at the Carlisle Grounds, they may start wishing the weather would be like this every game. To be fair to the visitors, the wind had been blowing into their faces in that opening period, so the tables would be turned following the restart.
Still Bohs rolled forward, and Fagan should have scored from his header after Owen Heary’s beautifully flighted cross.
Bayly was having a fine game at central midfield and his pass saw Flood draw a save from Trimble at the near post, before seconds later the same pair combined for Bohs’ second goal.
After Trimble’s intervention, Killian Brennan’s (below) corner found Burns who headed onto Bayly, with Flood lurking to tap home (59). Drogheda were faced with the proverbial mountain to climb.
But finally they were to threaten on 73 minutes. Substitute Stephen McCrossan’s curled effort had goalie Barry Murphy scurrying across his area but for it to clear the crossbar.
Another replacement, Gavin Brennan, went closer to a consolation when his 30-yard free whistled inches wide of the left-hand post. Despite a slight late revival from the 2007 title winners, they seldom looked like they were going to trouble Murphy.
This was another fine performance from Bohs, and the league table position is looking much brighter now.
BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary (C), Burns, Price, Rossiter; Forrester (Buckley, 68), O’Brien, Bayly (Hurley, 89), Brennan; Fagan, Flood (Traynor, 76)
DROGHEDA UNITED: Trimble; Clarke, McNally, Ekanem (Brennan, 67), Hand; O’Brien, Gannon, Quigley (C), Freeman (McCrossan); Mulvenna (Hanaphy, 78), Corcoran.
POSSESSION - Bohs: 57%; Drogheda: 43%.
ATTEMPTS ON TARGET - Bohs: 6; Drogheda: 0.
ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET - Bohs: 5; Drogheda: 4.
CORNERS - Bohs: 6; Drogheda: 1.
YELLOW CARDS - Bohs: Killian Brennan; Drogheda: Tiarnan Mulvenna.
REFEREE - Rob Rogers (Dublin).
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