Bohemian Football Club Crest

@bfcdublin Bohemians took the fighting spirit they showed against Portadown and put it to great use last night to come back from a goal down to beat Bray 3-1. Cillian Shields reports ... 

Craig Sexton, a 19-year-old lifelong Bohs fan, made his full debut in the Carlisle Grounds, replacing the injured Barry Murphy. Another youngster, Stephen Traynor, took Robert Bayly’s position in midfield as Bayly sits out a suspension carrying on from the end of last season.

The Bohs support was also brilliant, as there were possibly as many or more visiting fans than home fans at the game.

What turned out to be great news for the Gypsies was that Christy Fagan completed his registration in time to start again last night, after missing out on the Setanta Cup game midweek versus Portadown. Fagan played a blinder, as his control and holdup play made him look far more experienced and professional than his 21 years might suggest.

The game opened as somewhat of a cagey affair, as it took Bohs a little while to settle into their stride. Sexton made a number of good, important saves for his side, including one from a powerful header from Danny O’Connor in the 16th minute.

Bray capitalized on Bohs’ slow start to make more chances going forward, and they reaped their rewards when Ger O’Brien handled the ball in the area on 20 minutes.

Jake Kelly was on hand to convert the penalty

Bohemians took the fighting spirit they showed against Portadown and put in to great use last night to come back from a goal down to beat Bray 3-1.

Craig Sexton, the 19-year-old lifelong Bohs fan made his full debut in the Carlisle Grounds replacing the injured Barry Murphy, while another youngster Stephen Traynor took Robert Bayly’s position in midfield as Bayly sits out a suspension carrying on from the end of last season.

The Bohs support was also brilliant, as there were possibly as many or more visiting fans than home fans at the game.

What turned out to be great news for the Gypsies is that Christy Fagan completed his registration in time to start again tonight, after missing out on the Setanta Cup game midweek versus Portadown. Fagan played a blinder as his control and holdup play made him look far more experienced and professional than what his 21 years may suggest.

The game opened as somewhat of a cagey affair as it took Bohs a little while to settle into their stride. Sexton made a number of good, important saves for his side including from a powerful header from Danny O’Connor in the 16th minute.

Bray capitalized on Bohs’ slow start to make more chances going forward and they reaped their rewards when Ger O’Brien handled the ball in the area on 20 minutes. Jake Kelly was on hand to convert the penalty excellently, and Sexton’s passion showed as he was visibly upset from the concession of the goal.

However, such was the quality of the penalty, there wasn’t much the underage international could do to stop it.

Once this goal went in, though, Bohemians seemed to get back in form and pass the ball around the pitch more. Ger O’Brien had another good game in a Bohs shirt, winning tackles in the middle while also giving help to the inexperienced Stephen Traynor, who also looked very comfortable in the middle.

Lee Dixon once again started on the wing and constantly looked for the ball and attempted to beat his marker. On one such occasion his efforts came to fruition when a beautiful one-two move left the winger cutting into the box from the wing before being fouled by Bray’s Daire Doyle.

Fagan sent former Gypsie Matt Gregg the wrong way to equalize, and the Bohemians striker looked delighted with his first goal for the club.

The visitors continued to launch towards the Bray box in a hugely enjoyable game and it seemed like only a matter of time before they would take the lead.

Six minutes before the half time break, the fans and the team were treated to a stunning trademark freekick from Killian Brennan. The ball sailed into the keeper’s top left hand corner and Bohs led 2-1 at half time.

In the second half, Bray were unable to create anything that really worried the Gypsies, as O’Brien, Traynor and particulary Price in centre-back looked totally solid.

Price won nearly every high ball he contested and there was no way past him. Anto Flood caused problems for the Bray back-line all night.

And it was he who scored the final goal of the night to finish off a good move from Fagan down the right wing, who passed to Traynor before he laid it off once more to the former Galway striker to finish.

Matt Gregg’s efforts at scrambling across the goal line were in vain, as the move was just too quick for him to reach.

Not only was this a great win for the team, putting in a solid and comfortable performance, but it was also a great win for the club as a whole after the winter we’ve endured.

It turned out to be a wonderfully enjoyable night for all at Bohemian Football Club and long may we continue.

Team lineup: Sexton, Rossiter (Lopez, 82’), Heary, Price, Cahill, Brennan, Traynor, O’Brien (Somers, 79’), Dixon, Flood, Fagan.
Subs not used: Burke, Feely, Joyce, Forrester, Lodola.