SOCCER: AIRTRICITY LEAGUE: Bray Wanderers 1, Bohemians 2: EVEN IN the most recent of their title winning seasons Bohemians only managed to take four points from their two visits to the Carlisle Grounds and, given how much has changed at both clubs since, completing a seaside double seemed a tricky enough target for Pat Fenlon's men as they made the short journey south.

Thanks to a Christy Fagan brace, however, that’s just what the Dubliners did although Bray, having given as good as they got for long stretches of a generally entertaining and fairly even game must have wondered how, by the end, they didn’t manage to emerge with something to show for their efforts. The recent records of the two teams certainly suggested that Bray, however likely they are to run out of steam at some point over the closing stages of the campaign, were in decent shape to get a result.

Thirteen points from 15 might flatter Pat Devlin’s men slightly given that three of the four wins came against the bottom three clubs but then the Wanderers boss might point to his side’s second success of the campaign over Shamrock Rovers a couple of weeks back as evidence that the hosts can cope with quality opponents too on their night.

Certainly they should have been more ruthless against a side that arrived having taken just 10 points from their previous eight outings. Even after going two down Wanderers had the chances to rescue themselves over the course of a pretty open second half and Bohemians looked a little rattled at times as they clung to their advantage after Gary Dempsey’s deflected shot from the edge of the area halved their lead 11 minutes from time.

The difference at the end, though, was that Bohemians had taken a couple of their opportunities with Fagan, whose only two previous league goals for the club had been from the penalty spot, a tally that included one here in a 3-0 win on the opening night of the season, pouncing impressively to bag two from play.

Neither of them will make pleasant viewing for the Wanderers back four as they reflect on what went wrong. The first started with a well-worked short corner late in the first half but ended with Matt Gregg making a decent point blank reaction stop from Fagan only to see the striker, unchallenged, recover first to knock the rebound home. The defence took a more active part in the second 90 seconds after the break with Shane O’Connor attempting a back header that served only to set Fagan on his way towards goal.

There were mishaps at the other end too, most notably just before Dempsey’s effort, when Shane O’Neill was sent clear but fractionally misjudged his attempt to curl the ball low around Barry Murphy. Then in the final minute of ordinary time when Conor Murphy got plenty of time to tee up his shot from the middle of the area but still badly missed the target. The equaliser just wouldn’t come for the locals and so it is Bohemians whose numbers stack up that little bit more impressively this morning.

BRAY WANDERERS:Gregg; S O'Connor, Mitchell, Prendergast, Kendrick (McGuinness, 72 mins); Shields, Dempsey, D O'Connor (Doyle, 73 mins), Massey; Murphy, Mulroy (O'Neill, 60 mins).

BOHEMIANS:Murphy; Heary, Price, Burns, Rossiter; O'Brien (Hurley, 90+1); Forrester (Buckley, 75 mins), Bayly, Cronin (Traynor 66 mins), Brennan; Fagan.

Referee:D Tomney (Dublin).