Longford 2-1 Bohemians
An 88th minute goal from substitute Ayman Ben Mohamed got Longford Town back to winning ways at the City Calling Stadium with a victory over Bohemians in their SSE Airtricity Premier League clash.
The winger, who scored the only goal in the midlanders’ last win at Bray Wanderers a month ago, drilled low to the net after a shot from David O’Sullivan deflected to him in the box.
The victory lifts Tony Cousins’ side back up to sixth place in the Premier Division table.
After two successive defeats, Longford made three changes with boss Cousins bringing new signing Jack Doherty straight into his starting eleven on the left wing for his debut.
Bohemians, stunned to lose to a late goal at home to Drogheda United last week brought Robbie Creevy and Paddy Kavanagh back into their midfield.
But it was Town who started positively, scoring from their first incisive attack on three minutes. Skipper Mark Salmon threaded a precise ball through for the run of O’Sullivan who did the rest, showing excellent composure to side-foot the ball under the advancing Dean Delany to the net.
It might have been 2-0 on 14 minutes but for a fine reaction save from Delaney who got both hands to the ball to push Gary Shaw’s bullet header form a Doherty corner over the bar.
Shaw should then have done much better four minutes later instead of contriving to shave the bar with a volley from just eight yards.
A sluggish Bohemians needed a response and they were almost level on 27 minutes.
Paddy Kavanagh sent over a low cross from the right which his opposite winger Adam Evans just failed to get a touch to with the goal gaping.
A terrific save from Paul Skinner then prevented the equaliser seven minutes before the break.
Longford didn’t deal with Anto Murphy’s long throw from the left and Skinner showed his reflexes to push Robbie Creevy’s close-range header over the bar.
Longford survived that bout of Bohemians pressure to finish the half on the front foot with Stephen Rice bringing another fine tip-over save from Delany from another excellent delivery from a corner by Doherty.
Delany was then promptly off his line in the final minute of the half to save with his feet after O’Sullivan got through one-on-one.
Bohemians fought right back into the game in the second half with Ismahil Akinade guilty of two poor misses before they equalised on the hour.
Striker Akinade got in behind to knock the ball past Skinner and midfielder Keith Buckley followed in to tap the ball over the line.
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Pat Sullivan, Rhys Gorman, Mark Rossiter (Willie Tyrell 26), Conor Powell; Mark Salmon (Lorcan Shannon 74), Kevin O’Connor, Stephen Rice, Jack Doherty (Ayman Ben Mohamed 56); David O’Sullivan, Gary Shaw.
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Anto Murphy, Derek Prendergast, Dave Mulcahy Lorcan Fitzgerald (Stephen Best 67); Paddy Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes, Robbie Creevy (Kealan Dillon 86), Adam Evans (Karl Moore 58); Keith Buckley; Ismahil Akinade.
Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin).
