Emmet Malone On SoccerIf Friday night's events at Dalymount Park primarily served to remind us that for all the difficulties endured by Liam Buckley in recent months, Shamrock Rovers' main problems are still off the pitch, it also suggested that Bohemians have a good deal to do on it if they are going to push Shelbourne any closer than last year for the championship title.

A year ago Stephen Kenny's side had 10 points after their first seven games, having won two, drawn four and lost one. This time around their position is precisely the same, although significantly they are seven points behind Shelbourne rather than five.

That five-point advantage enjoyed by Pat Fenlon's side last season was the same margin by which they eventually went on to win the league. It's early days, of course, but giving another head-start to their chief rivals for the championship still looks a rather risky strategy.

Kenny, of course, could be forgiven for feeling slightly hard done by over the opening weeks of the campaign, for few would have guessed the decision, pretty much forced upon him by the club's financial position, to cut the size of the first-team panel during the close season would have come back to haunt him quite so quickly.

Before the season kicked off, the former Longford Town manager expressed quiet confidence that the quality within the squad had been maintained and that, with just a little luck, serious problems could be avoided. Instead, the club went into its sixth game of the campaign last week without six well-established first-team players and giving amateur players from the underage ranks unexpected run-outs.

There have been positive aspects to the team's start to the new season, Stephen Ward looking particularly impressive on a couple of occasions and the team displaying a strong sense of collective determination on Friday night to salvage something from a hard-fought scrap in which all looked lost not long after half-time.

But there are unwelcome similarities too with last season's start as experienced players have again shown poor form. Once again Damien Lynch is among the offenders, but several others have performed at well below their best, and Matt Gregg has looked as vulnerable in recent weeks as Shay Kelly did during those difficult opening games of the 2003 campaign.

Kenny, a consistent advocate of open, attacking football who has previously listed the concession of goals as an occupational hazard for those who favour his preferred style of play, said just before the season started there was a realisation within the squad that things had to tighten up slightly. Sure enough, three fewer goals have been conceded but a couple fewer have been scored and the desired balance has continued to elude his side in home games.

Away from home, Bohemians have looked impressive, for decent stretches at least, and have yet to concede a goal in three games. At home they have leaked six in four outings and have just three points from a possible 12 at Dalymount, in contrast with Shelbourne, whose record after the same number of games at Tolka would have been flawless but for Longford's late penalty last Friday.

With Kelly, Colin Hawkins and Glen Crowe back, things should improve but the team may suffer for some time yet from the impression among visiting teams that they are vulnerable on home territory.

A couple of clumsily conceded penalties have not helped their cause, but there was still little excuse for the way they allowed Waterford to come back from 2-0 down or the way they defended the two free-kicks that led to Rovers' goals last weekend.

The prospect of a draw would have seemed disappointing ahead of that game but given the quality of the play in the closing 20 minutes, a period in which they exerted almost relentless pressure on their visitors before eventually forcing the penalty from which they equalised, the effect on morale may end up being quite beneficial. With Dublin City just where they want them (away that is) this weekend, a little momentum could be regained, but the team's home form remains the more interesting issue for Kevin Hunt and co. And it is next week's home game with Cork that will be watched more closely by their rivals from up the road.