Seagulls too strong for bottom side Wanderers see off Longford

for the remainder of the season.

Despite losing him, it did not deter Bray and it required a welltimed saving tackle from Town’s Pat Flynn to stop Dylan Connolly in his tracks.

Connolly was denied next by a smart block from home captain Conor Powell and Karl Moore threatened next as he met Kevin Lynch’s free but he failed to keep the shot below the level of Bray native Ryan Coulter’s crossbar.

Sandwiched between those opportunities was a sight of goal for Alan Mathews’ outfit. Don Cowan delivered a centre from the right and his strike partner Eddie Dsane was inches from converting before Conor Kenna and Peter Cherrie cleaned up.

A stalemate at the interval was looking increasingly likely but Pender had different ideas in mind. After Dylan Connolly’s header from a Lynch delivery bounced off the crossbar, Pender was in the right place and the right time and applied the right finish to leave a confidence-drained Town side with it all to do.

All the pressure was on Longford’s shoulders but they didn’t play like a side scrapping for their lives. Kevin O’Connor, one of five Co. Wicklow men in the squad for the hosts, latched onto a Powell pass but his rising shot failed to trouble Cherrie as it flew over.

Dylan Connolly has now gone two games without a goal but just like Bray’s opener, it was his effort that led directly to the insurance strike. Coulter parried the winger’s shot and Noone managed to dispatch the rebound to rubberstamp the victory.

Next up for Harry Kenny’s high-fliers is a date with Sligo Rovers at the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday evening where a victory could elevate Bray to a nose-bleed inducing seventh place.

Longford Town: 18. Ryan Coulter; 2. Jamie Mulhall, 20. Pat Flynn, 17. Yann Mvita, 3. Conor Powell; 8. Peter McGlynn, 11. Kevin O’Connor, 21. Philip Gannon, 7. Kealan Dillon; 9. Don Cowan, 22. Eddie Dsane. Subs: Davy O’Sullivan for Dsane (55); Gaius Makouta for Gannon (83); Kaleem Simon for O’Connor (89). Not used: Paul Skinner, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Rhys Gorman, Karl Chambers.

Bray Wanderers: 1. Peter Cherrie; 2. Hugh Douglas, 5. Alan McNally, 4. Conor Kenna, 19. Kevin Lynch; 3. John Sullivan; 10. Karl Moore, 8. Mark Salmon, 22. Darragh Noone, 16. Dylan Connolly; 17. Ger Pender. Subs: Jason Marks for Sullivan (10); Alan Kehoe for Pender (70); Gareth McDonagh for Noone (89). Not used: Lee Steacy, Daniel Blackbyrne, Paul Finnegan, Sean Harding. Referee: Rob Rogers. Venue: City Calling Stadium, Longford.