Bray kept up their hopes of automatic promotion from the First Division with an impressive 3-1 victory over the Donegal club at the Carlisle Grounds on Sunday,
The Seagulls are now just three points behind leaders Harps and two behind second-placed Dublin City - who lost 1-0 away to Limerick - and significantly Pat Devlin's team have a match in hand against the two teams above them in the table.
With the wind in their favour in the first half, it was no surprise that Bray had all the early chances with midfielder Robbie McGuinness shooting over from close range after Stephen Fox had set up a perfect scoring opportunity on four minutes.
Just one minute later winger Paul Forsyth set up another chance for McGuinness to blaze wide when it looked easier to score with only goalkeeper Gary Ramsey to beat.
With virtually their first dangerous attack of the game Harps went in front after nine minutes. A Niall Bonner throw-in on the left allowed Kevin McHugh to get in a cross which was spilled by Bray 'keeper John Walsh allowing midfielder Paddy McGrenaghan to fire home from eight yards.
Bray might have equalised on 17 minutes when Bonner headed out a Forsyth cross from the left only for Irish Under 21 international Eamon Zayed to blaze over the bar.
The Seagulls were desperately unlucky two minutes later when following a corner from Forsyth on the left, a Colm Tresson header was pushed up in the air by 'keeper Ramsey.
Following up, Colm Tresson's header hit the upright although there were suggestions that the ball had first been handled by Harps defender Declan Boyle. But Dublin referee Eddie Barr allowed play to continue.
Bray grabbed a deserved equaliser on the half hour after a foul by Donal O'Brien on Tresson. From the resulting free taken by skipper Eddie Gormley, a hesitant Harps defence under pressure from Wesley Charles allowed Graham O'Hanlon to shoot home from six yards.
Another defensive error by the Donegal team enabled Bray to snatch the lead two minutes before the interval. A poor clearance allowed Keith Long to drive in a low cross from the right which Forsyth finished in style from seven yards.
Only a superb save by former Harps 'keeper John Walsh prevented the visitors equalising on 51 minutes after McHugh laid on a perfect ball for winger Tom Mohan. But Walsh made up for his earlier lapse when getting down to save Mohan's effort when a goal looked on the cards.
Harps were to regret that miss when Bray grabbed a third goal just one minute later. The industrious Gormley found Forsyth on the left and his cross was played into the path of Zayed to calmly side-foot into the corner of the net.
Bray might have had a fourth goal on 71 minutes only for McGuinness to shoot wide after the chance had been set up by Forsyth following a quick throw-in on the left by defender Maurice Farrell.
Bray Wanderers - Walsh; O'Hanlon, Tresson, Charles; Long,Gormley McGinness, Farrell; Zayed, Fox, Forsyth. Subs. - Ryan for Forsyth (88 mins.).
Finn Harps - Ramsey; R.Boyle, D.Boyle, Asokuh, Minnock; Mohan, McGrenaghan, O'Brien, Bonner; Whitehead, McHugh. Subs. - Kenny for R.Boyle (71 mins.), Flannery for Bonner (74 mins.).
Referee - Eddie Barr (Dublin).
21/10/2003, 3:06 PM
Roo69
Fox
"Harps were to regret that miss when Bray grabbed a third goal just one minute later. The industrious Gormley found Forsyth on the left and his cross was played into the path of Zayed to calmly side-foot into the corner of the net."
Eh, where did they get this info from ? Soccer Central !!!!!
Gormely found McGuinness who pulled the ball back for FOX to score.
21/10/2003, 7:08 PM
Ringo
you did us a favour keeping us in touch.
27/10/2003, 9:36 PM
fbtn
They did themselves a favour Ringo. If we had of beaten Bray then the league was as good as over as it would have left us six points ahead of Dublin and nine ahead of Wanderers.
Its in our own hands now after results for youselves and Bray at the weekend though.
It will be a tight run-in for the three teams involved (Kildare are out of it) but I think our fixtures are slightly easier. Our biggest game is on Saturday night in Sligo. If we beat them then I think we will be hard to catch.
Apart from ourselves (last Sunday excluded, we were rubbish), Bray are the best I've seen in the First Division this year and I've seen them all. Still, they have three games away from home left, including the game last day of the season against Dublin. Bray's form away from home has been bad all season.
