BIG BEN IS CHIMING FOR LILIES
3 Bohemians 1
BY MARK MCCADDEN ROBBIE BENSON got the goal his display deserved last night as Dundalk secured a dramatic comeback win over Bohemians.
The Lilywhites kept their unbeaten home record intact despite falling behind to
Ciaran Kelly’s 15th minute opener – and struggling for much of the first-half to get out of first gear.
Patrick Hoban fired them level four minutes after the break and Paul Doyle also got on the scoresheet, but it was Benson’s energy and invention that turned this one in the hosts’ favour.
For most of the firsthalf, however, their flat performance suggested that a first home defeat in their eighth Oriel Park clash of the season was on.
After Mark Connolly’s early effort from a corner flashed wide, the action turned to the other end, where Bohs carved out openings for Conor Levingston and Ali Coote.
The first brought a routine save from Dundalk goalkeeper Nathan Sheppard, but the Wales under-21 international had to go full stretch to his right to push Coote’s low drive wide.
Then with 15 minutes on the clock, the visitors went ahead from a wellpracticed training ground routine.
Levingston peeled away from a congested back post to connect with Liam Burt’s low delivery into the near post.
With the Lilywhites struggling to string a couple of consecutive passes together, Benson decided to go alone on the hour when he won the ball in midfield, advanced and let fly.
His 25-yard drive was tipped onto the crossbar and over by Bohs keeper James Talbot, but the message from the experienced Benson to his team-mates was loud and clear.
And they responded with some positive attacking play. Steven Bradley, Sam Bone albeit from 40 yards and Hoban all tried their luck before the break, but failed to find the target.
However, the hosts didn’t have long to wait after half-time for the equaliser.
The brilliant Benson showed great awareness to hold up the ball before laying it off to Hoban, and his 20-yard strike took a deflection before it zipped past Talbot and into the net.
Benson got a deserved goal n 71 minutes when substitute Keith
Ward’s eye-of-a-needle pass sent Kelly racing into the box.
Unselfishly, the winger drew out Talbot before slipping the ball to Benson who finished into an empty net. Another sub Paul Doyle made sure of the points with his second goal in two games.