Bray Wanderers secured their first win in six games in this Premier Division basement battle, while Waterford United's crisis-hit campaign plunged to new depths.

United - without a win since April 29th - were denied the services of new signings PJ Banville and John Lester, following a registration mix-up.

Yet, it was Waterford who made the perfect start, opening the scoring after nine minutes.

A speculative long ball from Dave Mulcahy fell to Neil Andrews, who lofted the ball beyond the stranded Chris O'Connor into the empty Bray Wanderers net.

United's lead lasted only four minutes, however, Eamon Zayed nodding home, unchallenged, from four yards following a David Tyrrell corner.

Three minutes later, Bray's Colm Tresson was played in by new Romanian recruit Andrei Georgescu, but the full back's volley sailed over Pakie Holden's crossbar.

And things got even better for Bray on 23 minutes, when Zayed struck from point-blank range, after Georgescu had bamboozled David Breen on the left flank.

But Zayed was left scratching his head 12 minutes later, when he blazed a half-volley over from 10 yards after Kevin Waters had failed to clear.

A forgettable second half yielded little worth recording, though the lively Georgescu was unlucky to see his 20-yard shot cannon off Holden's right upright on 82 minutes.

WATERFORD UNITED: P Holden; K Browne, K Waters, P Crowley (P McCarthy, 84), D Breen, D Mulcahy; V Sullivan (D Kavanagh, 60), S Grant (S Finn, 45), C Heffernan; N Andrews, D McCarthy. Subs not used: P Purcell and J Fyffe.

BRAY WANDERERS: C O'Connor; C Tresson, P Keogh, J Lynch, B McGovern; S Gifford (C Jones, 56), Kevin O'Brien (P Caffrey, 56), S Fox, D Tyrrell (Kieran O'Brien, 87) E Zayed; A Georgescu. Subs not used: P O'Reilly.

Referee: Hugh Whoriskey (Meath).