Bohemians - 1 Drogheda Utd - 0 Their best form may continue to elude them but Bohemians still manage to do just about enough to squeeze results out of games. Last night's performance showed little improvement on recent weeks but the win moves them to within three points of Shelbourne at the top of the table.

Having conceded points at home to Shamrock Rovers and Derry City already, the league champions will be grateful for the victory that Fergal Harkin's tap in 18 minutes into the second half provided.

Despite having the game at their mercy in the period that followed the goal, however, the Dubliners again failed to kill off their opponents.

Few amongst the home support could really have begrudged the visitors a point if Danny O'Connor's late shot had struck the back of the net rather than the top of the left hand post. But you have to take the chances that come your way and few will have had too much sympathy either for Andy Myler as he blasted his follow up shot far above the crossbar when clearly he should have hit the target.

Though Kevin Hunt was again outstanding the home side's midfield was easily matched for effort by the visitors trio of Don Tierney, Mark Quinnless and Darren Beasley - all possessing the determination, if not quite the ability, to take something out of the game for their side.

During their best period of the game, Bohemians had run United's back four fairly ragged but Harkins goal - the product of a deflected Hunt shot that Gary Rodgers pushed wide only to see Glen Crowe chase the loose ball down and then turn it back low into the six yard box - was all they had to show for their efforts as the game swung away from them slightly again and their visitors began to sense that perhaps an equaliser was on the cards.

Early on there had been little perceptible difference in quality between last year's champions and the team that had only preserved its top-flight status after a play-off with Galway United.

In the opening minutes the hosts had dominated without really impressing but they were then caught by a succession of United breaks, the best of which yielded good scoring chances for both Neil Tarrent and Mark Quinnless.

For a spell Stephen Kenny's men looked rattled and their attempts to play their way out of trouble from the back was met with determined tackling by the Drogheda midfield.

Gradually though the Dubliners did begin to find a path to their opposition's area and out wide on the right Bobby Ryan proved to be their most effective link between midfield and attack.

With close to half an hour played, a delicately floated cross to the near post by the winger opened up the United defence and Paul Keegan turned the ball in at the second attempt but only after a foul on Rodgers that referee Eddie Barr was well placed to spot.

In the end the fans would get the goal they wanted and with it the win. But they, like Kenny, will know that their team is capable of much better than they have managed in the opening weeks of their title defence. It's something that won't be lost on Pat Fenlon either.

BOHEMIANS: Kelly; Lynch, Hawkins, Oman, Webb; Ryan, Harkin, Hunt, Rutherford; Keegan, Crowe. Subs: Morrison for Rutherford (86 mins).

DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers; O'Connor, Bunce, Lynch, Kelly; Quinnless, Beesley, Tierney, Cronin; O'Brien, Tarrent. Subs: Myler for Tarrent (70 mins). Jones for Quinnless (73 mins); Flanagan for Tierney (79 mins).

Referee: E Barr (Dublin)