UCD supporters, still pondering the merits of their team's new style of management, left Belfield none the wiser as Kilkenny City registered their first win in the National League Premier Division yesterday. Their 2-1 win over the students came courtesy of two Richie Hale goals, as the newly-promoted side survived a late spell of sustained UCD pressure to pull off a surprise result.

Throughout the 90 minutes the home side looked uncomfortable with the pace of the game and were guilty of some very loose play in the middle of the field.

With just seven minutes gone, Kilkenny found the back of the net when Hale fired a shot past Seamus Kelly via the left-hand post. But Kilkenny's Ashley Stephenson, having looked susceptible to the high ball all afternoon, handed UCD the initiative just two minutes later, when he failed to collect a Robert McAuley cross and Jason Sherlock was on hand to capitalise.

But it was to be Hale's afternoon and although Kelly denied the striker midway through the first half with a full-stretch save, he could only stand by helplessly as Hale soared above the UCD defence to head home his second, eight minutes before the interval.

UCD, with Eoin Bennis particularly industrious on the right side, attempted to get back into the game after the break, with Michael O'Byrne clipping the Kilkenny crossbar shortly after the interval.

UCD: Kelly, McLoughlin, McAuley, Lynch, McDonnell, Griffin, Kavanagh, Bennis, Sherlock, O'Byrne, O'Donnell. Subs: Martin for O'Donnell (76 mins).

Kilkenny: Stephenson, Arrigan, Barry, D Walsh, Hall, Kelly, Maher, Power, Keane, Hale, Rea. Subs: R Walsh for Keane (67), Cooney for D Walsh (61), Breen for Cooney (90).

Referee: E Barr (Dublin).