Soccer: Bohemians - 2 Waterford Utd - 2 An unexpectedly entertaining encounter this between two sides of contrasting styles and differing abilities and one that produced early pointers about both. Bohemians, it seems, have not quite curbed a tendency to concede soft goals, while United, on this showing at least, will be nobody's pushovers in the season ahead.

It was a battling performance by the visitors, who were marshalled on the pitch by player-manager Alan Reynolds and watched over from the sidelines by Paul McGrath. Up front they made little impression as Willie Bruton and Darryl Murphy were given little to work with but in midfield and defence they managed to disrupt a Bohemians side that seemed, through most of the first half, to be on the verge of finding their rhythm.

United's approach to containing their more stylish opponents was a little uncompromising at times but for the most part it was effective, although there was little they could have done to prevent either of the game's opening two goals.

Having come into the action early on for the injured Tony Grant, Robbie Doyle made a bright start to his evening with a fine strike on the turn after what was, for him, just four minutes of play. And within another seven he had helped to set up an even better effort for Glen Crowe, who recovered swiftly from having a left-footed shot blocked to curl the ball into the bottom corner with his right. At that stage it seemed we were witnessing the Dublin side's first home win of the new campaign.

United had provided little evidence they were capable of much more than fierce rearguard action but having come no closer to scoring themselves, other than a couple of hurried half chances on the break, they pulled one back thanks for the most part to Séamus Kelly's fumble as Kevin Waters lurked under a lofted Vinnie Sullivan ball into the area.

Initially the goal appeared to change little, Bohemians continuing to dominate play and promising to gain a tighter grip on central midfield after Reynolds picked up a booking for a poor challenge on Thomas Heary three minutes before the break.

Eight minutes after it, however, Bruton showed the visitors had one man who could finish with panache, meeting Kevin O'Brien's ball forward with a delicately headed flick that left Kelly stranded.

Within a minute the striker had earned a penalty after being clumsily bundled over by Damien Lynch but Kelly made amends for his first-half gaffe by getting down well to save Murphy's low-struck spot kick.

In the half hour that followed Bohemians squandered a string of chances and yet anything less than the draw would have been harsh on their visitors.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly; Lynch, Hawkins, McNally, Webb; Ryan (Rice, 79 mins), Hunt, Heary (Ward, 64 mins), Keddy; Grant (Doyle, 19), Crowe.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor; O'Brien, Breen, Purcell, Frost; Sullivan, Reynolds, Mulcahy, Waters; Murphy, Bruton (Banville, 92).

Referee: A Kelly (Cork).