BRAY WANDERERS recorded their first home win of the season when early goals from Danny O'Connor and Dane Massey gave them a narrow victory over Drogheda United

The result means that Bray, who might have won by a much bigger margin, are very much in Premier Division title contention after just escaping the relegation trapdoor last season.   

Pat Devlin's Seagulls had the perfect start when midfielder O'Connor headed home after just six minutes for his third goal in four games. Dave Webster started the move on the right to allow John Mulroy to fire over a precision cross perfectly finished by the alert O'Connor from close range.

There was more agony for Drogheda just three minutes later when midfielder Gary Dempsey's free on the right allowed unmarked defender Massey to get in a glancing header past 'keeper Stephen Trimble.

Bray should have stretched their lead on 18 minutes when another  perfect cross by Webster set up the chance for Jake Kelly, only for the winger to scoop his effort over the bar from just one yard.

It was all one way traffic for the home side with Trimble coming to bottom of the table Drogheda's rescue with outstanding point blank saves in quick succession after efforts by Kelly and O'Connor on the half hour.

The Drogs lived a charmed life as Bray peppered the goalmouth with a series of close-range ping-pong efforts from O'Connor, Conor Murphy, Kelly and Chris Shields that Trimble with the help of the woodwork somehow managed to keep out of the net.

Bray had another opportunity on 49 minutes after a foul by Drogheda substitute Alan McNally on Shields only for  Massey's free from 22 yards to be pushed over by the overworked Trimble. Shields then hit the upright after a cross by Kelly on the left caused chaos in the Drogheda defence.

Against the run of play  Drogheda pulled a goal back on 81 minutes when a long ball out of defence by substitute Phiilip McDonagh allowed Darragh Hannapy to run from his own half to skip bast defenders Webster and Adam Mitchell before cleverly planting the ball past advancing 'keeper Darren Quigley.

In the end, Bray were happy to hold on for the three points and now are in joint fourth place in the table, level on points with Bohemians.

Bray Wanderers - Quigley; Webster, Mitchell, Prendergast , Massey; Mulroy (Zambra 87), Dempsey, O'Connor, J Kelly (Houston 90): Murphy (O'Neill 75), Shields.

Drogheda United - Trimble; Nolan, Gannon, Ekanem, Whelan  (McNally 45), C O'Brien (Flynn 58), M O'Brien, Quigley, Hand (McDonagh 45); Freeman, Hanaphy.

Referee - Rob Rogers (Dublin).