Chris Forrester scores again as Saints march up the League of Ireland table

Fellow midfielder Robbie Benson added the other goal as some 750 social distanced home fans were present to witness a fifth victory in seven games

Fri, 16 Jul, 2021 - 22:00

Paul Buttner

St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Drogheda United 0

Chris Forrester scored for the second week running as St Patrick’s Athletic moved back second in the Premier Division table.

Fellow midfielder Robbie Benson added the other goal as some 750 social distanced home fans were present to witness a fifth victory in seven games as Stephen O’Donnell’s Inchicore side maintained their title push.

With just one win from their last six games Drogheda drop to fifth.

The visitors fleetingly troubled St Pat’s in the early exchanges with former Saint Darragh Markey doing well to pull the ball back for Mark Doyle who blazed over the top.

But it was the home side who should have really been in front on seven minutes, Darragh Burns heading wastefully over the crossbar from a Sam Bone cross.

The 25 degree heat took its toll as the sapping early pace of the game soon dropped with a welcome water break called.

The home side’s fifth corner of the game on 35 minutes should then have seen them ahead. Lee Desmond contrived to slice wide after Paddy Barrett’s header wasn't properly cleared.

Burns then shot off target deep in stoppage time as St Pat’s remained on the front foot.

Continuing their dominance into the second half, 18-year-old Burns was central to St Pat’s finally breaking the deadlock on 61 minutes.

Jay McClelland’s superb diagonal ball picked out the run of Burns in behind. A sublime touch controlled the ball instantly before he rolled it across the goal to give Forrester a simple tap in.

Benson provided the gloss with a well-taken second goal on 80 minutes.

Striker Mattie Smith broke on the left to cut in and get a shot away which Davis Odumosu could only parry to Benson who turned sweetly onto his left foot to drive the ball to the net.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Jaros; Bone, Barrett, Desmond, McClelland; Forrester, Lewis; Burns (Bermingham, 83), Benson, King (McCormack, 76); Smith.

DROGHEDA UTD: Odumosu; Brown, O’Reilly, Massey, Kane; Heeney (Hyland, 63), Deegan, Philips (Corcoran, 81); Markey, Doyle (Murray, 63); Lyons (Adeyemo, 27).

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).