Bohemians, still with a game in hand, kept the pressure on the two title hopefuls, Derry City and Shamrock Rovers, with a hard earned 2-0 win over an injury ravaged Sligo Rovers side.
A bumper Dalymount crowd of over four thousand in the Phisborough sunshine witnessed Bohs earn their first win in five thanks to James Clarke's first half goal and a clever finish from Declan McDaid sealed all three points.
Having made most of the early running, the hosts couldn’t force the breakthrough, much like the week previously against a determined Shelbourne, and it took twenty minutes for the game to heat up.
Jordan Flores' 25-yard free kick was expertly saved by Luke McNicholas at full stretch before Kris Twardek and Ali Coote had half chances to break the deadlock.
In a cruel twist of faith John Russell, having lost Nando Pijnaker to injury and John Mahon through suspension in last weeks 1-0 win over title hopefuls Derry City - on top of long term absentee’s Garry Buckley and Gary Boylan – the Bit O’Red boss was forced into yet another two first half changes with Eanna Clancy and Greg Bolger being replaced with injuries.
Bohs finally broke the deadlock against the depleted visitors just after the half hour mark when the all-action James Clarke brilliantly controlled Kris Twardeks pass and finished powerfully from a narrow angle.
The second half started at a ferocious pace with both sides missing chances in quick succession. Johan Brannefalk burst down the right and into the area, but saw his low shot cleared off the line by the alert Krystian Nowak, before the big centre half saw his header catch the top of the crossbar from Ali Coote’s delightful delivery.
But with twenty minutes remaining Bohs looked to have secured all three points when substitute Declan McDaid showed an incredible first touch to control Coote’s volley across goal before finishing sharply from close range.
To their credit the visitors kept going and looked a huge threat at set-pieces and were inches away from getting back into the game but both David Cawley and Max Mata failed to hit the target from close range.
Bohs were assured in seeing out the game and they now sit three points off the top of the table but crucially still have a game in hand.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot, Jay Benn, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski, Jordan Flores, Kris Twardek, Keith Buckley, Adam McDonnell, Ali Coote (Chris Lotefa, 90+2), James Clarke (John O’Sulivan, 80’), James Akintunde (Declan McDaid, 61’)
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas, Johan Brannefalk, Niall Morahan, Eanna Clancy (Danny Lafferty, 9’), Reece Hutchinson, Frank Liivak, David Cawley, Greg Bolger (Lukas Browning, 29’), William Fitzgerald, Kailin Barlow (Stefan Radosavljevic, 68’), Max Mata
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
