Tony Grant struck an 88th-minute against his old club as leaders Drogheda grabbed three vital points in a thriller at United Park tonight.
But Bohs will be disappointed to go home pointless as they were the better side for long spells in the game and just weren’t able to get their noses in front.
Sami Ristila shot wide for Paul Doolin's men after just 12 seconds, but Bohs dominated the first half as the home goal led a charmed life.
Glen Crowe in particular was very unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet, sending two long-range efforts close to the target and forcing an excellent save from Dan Connor, who became a father earlier in the day.
Owen Heary also went close with a 25-yard shot, but his over-zealous tackle on Shane Robinson then led to a melee involving at least 10 players.
Heary was booked along with Drogheda's Brian Shelley, who was fortunate to avoid a second caution for a subsequent foul on Stephen Rice, although the home side had penalty claims turned down on the stroke of half time when Eamon Zayed went tumbling in the box after tangling with Dean Pooley.
In a tense second half, the home side began to pose more of a threat as Robinson and James Keddy both went close from long range, before Zayed powered a header wide from a Robinson corner.
But second-half Bohs sub Kevin Hunt replied with a sweetly-struck 20-yarder which flew past Connor's upright, and Stephen Rice then stole a yard on his marker to graze the post from an Owen Heary cross.
It was still anyone's game heading into the final five minutes, but Drogheda boss Paul Doolin's substitutions worked to perfection in the 88th minute when Aidan O'Keeffe, on the field just two minutes, combined with Robinson, whose cross was nodded past Bohs keeper Barry Murphy by Grant from six yards.
