With just one win since mid September, Bohemians gave new manager Stephen Kenny something to build on with this hard earned victory over Bray at Dalymount Park last night.
Bray were still in contention in the closing stages before Dave Morrison finally put paid to a revival with a goal seven minutes from the end.
In an uneventful first half, Bohemians managed to create the majority of the chances which were thin on the ground for the most part.
Indeed, it was on the half hour before the first real chance came when Bray defender Jody Lynch got a timely foot to the ball with Glen Crowe coming in at far post.
But then a minute before the break, Bohemians struck when full back Simon Webb drove an unstoppable free past Matt Gregg. It should have been the idea tonic for the home side going into the second half and to be fair they upped the tempo quite considerably on the re-start.
After Crowe had badly miscued in front of goal, Tom Folan then volleyed over on 56 minutes. Trevor Molloy was then put through by Bohemians midfielder, Kevin Hunt, but Gregg managed to get his body in the way of the shot. But Molloy was not finished and soon after that had a shot cleared off the line by Maurice Farrell.
And the former St Patrick's and Irish youths attacker could scarcely believe his luck when from the resultant corner, Gregg spreadeagled himself to tip Molloy's header away to safety.
In all the havoc at the Wanderers end, Bray almost managed a sneak an equaliser when Jason Byrne sprung the offside trap and then lifted his shot over the advancing Wayne Russell. But the ball came agonisingly back off the post.
Finally, Bohemians killed off the game, much to the delight of their supporters, when Morrison raced through to find the back of the net with a polished finish.
BOHEMIANS: Russell; O'Connor, John, Hawins, Webb; Morrison, Hunt, Harkin, Folan; Crowe, Molloy. Subs: Shelley for O'Connor (94 mins), Byrne for Morrison (94 mins).
BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Doohan, Lynch, Farrell; Morgan, Fox, Tresson, Keogh; Keegan, Byrne. Subs: L Britton for Williamson 60 mins, Charles for Lynch 53 mins
Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).
