Bray Wanderers 2 Dundalk 0:GOALS IN each half from Derek Prendergast and Shane O'Neill gave Bray Wanderers a deserved victory over Dundalk in a one-sided Premier Division encounter at the Carlisle Grounds last night.

The victory moves the Seagulls four points clear of basement club Drogheda United in their bid to avoid automatic relegation.

O’Neill had one long-range effort early on well taken by Dundalk goalkeeper Peter Cherrie, but Bray grabbed the lead on 18 minutes when Gary Breen conceded a corner on the left in attempting a clearance.

Gary Dempsey’s corner caused chaos in the visitors’ defence with central defender Prendergast rising unchallenged to head home from close range past Cherrie.

Dundalk did have a chance of an equaliser on the half hour. Simon Madden’s low cross from the right found Dean Bennett only for the midfielder to blaze his 20-yard effort high over the bar.

Seconds before the interval, midfielder Dean Zambra put Bray substitute Chris Shields in the clear to cross from the right. Striker O’Neill stretched to get the vital touch only to see his effort brilliantly deflected by Cherrie onto the woodwork and away for a corner.

Bray added a second goal on 55 minutes after skipper Danny O’Connor supplied a perfect ball from the left for O’Neill to rifle home a shot past Cherrie from eight yards.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Webster, Mitchell, Prendergast, Houston; Zambra, D.O'Connor, Dempsey, J.Kelly (Shields 38) ; O'Neill (Shaw 76), Mulroy (Massey 72).

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, Breen, Burns, Hatswell; Kearns, Bennett (Maher 56), Miller, Gaynor; Kuduzovic (Lennon 76), Tipton.

Attendance: 300.

Referee: Neil Doyle(Dublin).