James-Taylor penalty lifts Drogs above Bohs

Douglas James-Taylor was a talisman for Drogheda in last season’s cup winning side but was without a goal this year.

Douglas James-Taylor of Drogheda United celebrates his first goal of the season. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Drogheda United’s Douglas James-Taylor scored a very long-awaited first goal of the season from the penalty spot to help his side best Bohemians on the pitch and climb above them in a Premier Division table that remains as congested as ever towards the summit.

A serious thigh injury had robbed Drogheda of their star striker for much of the campaign but he is back now and Kevin Doherty will desperately hope they can hold onto him beyond this summer.

Six victories in their last seven matches have seen Bohs shed the inconsistency of the early campaign and begin to pose a more credible threat towards the business end of the Premier Division table.

With that, expectations begin to rise and they are almost always sky high at Dalymount Park in any case. However, Alan Reynolds's outfit arrived at fortress Sullivan & Lambe Park – Drogheda have only lost at home twice in their last 17 league games, both to Shamrock Rovers – without a draw yet this season.

Drogheda, for their part, have been draw specialists in recent times. No team had drawn more than their eight in 17 matches this term. There would be a winner, however.

James-Taylor, a talisman of last season’s cup winning side but without a goal this year as he works his way back to full fitness following that lengthy injury absence, had United’s best opportunities of the first half.

He twice made Kacper Chorazka work with fierce drives and Drogs supporters will note with glee that, goal aside, his contributions are improving with every passing game.

It was the visitors who went closest though before the interval. From Dawson Devoy’s cross, Dayle Rooney’s header had goalkeeper Luke Dennison beaten, despite a full stretch dive, but bounced off the post in any case.

There was significant League of Ireland representation in Jim Crawford’s latest Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad named this week with six current domestic based players and a further 10 who have come through the system here.

Two of those – Bohs's Sean Grehan and Drogheda’s Warren Davis – were in direct combat by the Boyne.

James-Taylor, the on-loan Walsall striker, had his moment when Grehan fouled Conor Keeley in the penalty area. He made no mistake from 12 yards, blasting his penalty kick high into the net.

Late in the game, Bohs cranked up the pressure but Drogheda withstood the heat. They were fortunate when Colm Whelan’s shot crashed off the bar but then Dennison produced a double save to deny substitutes Hugh Smith and Archie Meekison.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison; Ahui, Keeley, Quinn; Lambe, Brennan (Markey, 55), Heeney, Kane; Farrell; James-Taylor (Cruise, 87), Davis (Oluwa, 69).

BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Morahan (Meekison, 83), Grehan, Cornwall (Brennan, 71), Flores; McDonnell (Buckley, 71), Devoy; Tierney, Clarke (Smith, 83), Rooney; Whelan.

Referee: Declan Toland