Fairytale ends for brave Bohemians in Greece

Bohemians' Dawson Devoy dejected after PAOK soccer their second goal. Picture: INPHO/Aleksandar Djorovic

PAOK 2 Bohemians 0

Bohemians' Greek odyssey proved one adventure too far as their fairytale Europa Conference League adventure came to an end with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to PAOK.

First-half goals from midfielders Stefan Schwab and Diego Biseswar saw the Greek side through to the play-off round as they overturned the Gypsies' 2-1 home leg advantage.

A game Bohemians side fought to the very end and went out on their shields despite being outclassed by a side who budget dwarves theirs by a factor of 10.

Keith Ward will rue a miscued shot in injury-time as the goal gaped and finding the net would have forced extra-time, but the home side always looked to have an additional gear.

Their strength in depth was evident in the fact they were able to omit the former Manchester United playmaker Shinji Kagawa.

The Japanese international's replacement, Biseswar, set up the opener before scoring the winner himself.

There were just four minutes on the clock when Biseswar's clever diagonal found Schwab ghosting in behind the Bohs defence and nodding past a helpess James Talbot.

Talbot did brilliantly to deny Nelson Oliveira moments later, as did his opposite number Alexandros Paschalaskis when his own defender flicked Dawson Devoy's cross goalwards.

Keith Buckley flashed a shot inched wide of the post as Bohs found an extra gear but, slowly, PAOK reasserted control and went ahead for the first time just before the half-hour.

Omar El Kaddouri split Bohs' centre-halves Rob Cornwall and James Finnerty with a through ball and Biseswar showed good composure to stroke the ball past Talbot.

Talbot was beaten again by a wonderful El Kaddouri effort but the ball crashed off the underside of the bar, and the officials waved away his protests that it had bounced behind the line.

PAOK closed the game out from there but were given a scare in injury time when sub Stephen Mallon raced into the box and picked out Ward, but the veteran's touch deserted him.

PAOK: Paschalaskis, Rodrigo (Taylor 85), Varela, Michailidis, Vierinha; Schwab, Kurtic (Esiti 73) Biseswar (Murg 85); Zivkovic, El-Kaddouri, Oliviera (Swiderski 73).

BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Lyons (Feely 85), Cornwall, Finnerty, Breslin; Buckley, Devoy (Mallon 85), Tierney (Levingston 78); Coote (Ward 62), Burt, Kelly.