A WIND-ASSISTED second-half performance of sheer attrition gave St Patrick's their first home league win of the season at Richmond Park last night.

It stretched St Patrick's unbeaten run to six games, though they had to live dangerously in the first-half before almost literally blowing Finn Harps away with the wind at their backs in the second.

The goals were sloppy enough when they came late on, a dubious penalty and an own goal, but the champions are building up steam nicely. It might have gone smoothly for St Patrick's if their first disallowed coal after only 90 seconds had stood. Ricky O'Flaherty was adjudged to have been offside when he played Eddie Gormley in. The second non-goal on 36 minutes was not so clear cut. Paul Osam appeared to have headed home Trevor Croly's corner quite cleanly, but again the linesman spotted an infringement. But St Patrick's showed Harps the real way to play with the wind after the interval.

O'Flaherty, twice, and Paul McGee had early chances before Martin Reilly just failed to connect with McGee's cross following Croly's superb pass on 59 minutes.

Harps' goalkeeper David Platt then twice saved well in quick succession from Croly and O'Flaherty before St Patrick's pressure told on 73 minutes.

Gormley raced onto a loose ball in the Harps area and was challenged head on by John Quigg. Referee O'Regan wasn't happy with Quigg's tackle and pointed to the spot to the consternation of the Harps players. Gormley sent Platt the wrong way from the spot.

Two minutes later the unlucky Conor Frawley sliced a Brian Morrisroe cross and the ball looped backwards and over Platt and into the net for the second goal.