Bohemians 0 Pompey 2 '“ Neil Allen's match report

The Blues had let slip a three-goal lead to draw at Sligo on Wednesday evening, yet on Saturday cruised to a well-deserved triumph at Dalymount Park. Danny Rose and Conor Chaplin netted with first-half strikes against the Bohs, who had turned out the previous night in a goalless draw against Bray Wanderers. At the other end, featured keepers Michael Crowe and Alex Bass were barely involved as Pompey dictated play throughout, rarely being threatened. Paul Cook was without Ben Close, Curtis Main and Tom Davies, all nursing minor knocks, while triallists Eric Grimes and Elyse Boris Konsiembo were not required. And of those 18 players used, it was Milan Lalkovic and Chaplin who caught the eye in particular in the 2-0 success at the Dublin-based club. Pompey dictated play from the start and Carl Baker picked up the ball inside the box with a combination of keeper Shane Supple and Stephen Best keeping out the goal-bound shot. There was an injury scare for the visitors when a crunching challenge from Best flattened Bennett inside the box, leaving the winger prone on the floor, yet he was able to continue. Milan Lalkovic was catching the eye down the left and one run saw him trick his way into the box before firing a low shot straight at Supple. Pompey should have taken a 23rd-minute lead when Chaplin raced clear down the right channel and had only the keeper to beat. As he ran out of space, the youngster squared to Baker who took his time before seeing his shot brilliantly blocked on the line by Warren O’Hora. There was an awful moment for Bohemians on 31 minutes when Bennett caught Best late and the teenage defender had to be stretchered off. On 33 minutes the deadlock was broken through an excellent Pompey move. Lalkovic again caused the problems, popping up on the right-hand side before rolling the ball to the overlapping Rose. The midfielder then calmly clipped an angled right-foot shot over Supple for a classy finish. With half-time approaching, Supple prevented Chaplin from increasing the lead, a fingertip save keeping the ball out of the far corner of the net. The striker did, however, make it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, latching onto Dave Mulcahy’s backpass to prod the ball past the onrushing Supple before slotting into an unguarded net. There were no substitutes at the break and Pompey started the second-half with Supple thwarting Chaplin and Baker. Michael Crowe was called into action for the first time on 58 minutes when Mark Quigley fired in a fierce volley which the keeper took above his head. The Blues began to introduce their substitutes and it was one of them, Tollitt, who drew a superb full-length save in the 85th minute as they cruised to a win. Pompey: Crowe (69 mins Bass), Talbot (72 mins Sessegnon), Burgess, Barton (69 mins Whatmough), Stevens, Doyle, Rose, Lalkovic (69 mins Haunstrup), Baker (77 mins May), Bennett (58 mins Roberts), Chaplin (60 mins Tollitt)