Bohemians rise to the summit as St Pat's woes continue

Bohemians' flying start to the season continued, as goals from Jonathan Afolabi and Dean Williams piled yet more misery onto a struggling St Patrick's Athletic.

Declan Devine has quickly transformed this Bohs side into a formidable outfit, and the Gypsies deservedly go into the weekend top of the league after the opening five games.

Having watched his side concede seven during losses to Dundalk and Sligo last weekend, St Pat’s manager Tim Clancy sits on the other end of the spectrum.

He arrived here under a unique spectre of early season pressure, and left to a strong round of boos from some of the sold-out Richmond Park crowd.

The 38-year old is increasingly fighting for his Dublin 8 job, having failed to get a reaction from his players for the second time in a week.

Despite describing recent defending as "mind-boggling" and "baffling" this week, Clancy stuck with the same back five who fell to 10-men in Sligo.

Though that back five was soon changed, when Tom Grivosti's injury brought Noah Lewis into the fold after 15 minutes.

Barely warmed-up, the Dutch defender was at fault for the opening goal mere minutes later.

Jake Mulraney let Ali Coote run free from midfield, and it was Lewis who should have picked up the unaccompanied Scot before he collected the ball and lobbed it onto the head of Afolabi to convert.

Five minutes later, Pat’s were nearly caught out again when goalkeeper David Odumosu was bundled over while attempting a back-heeled turn inside his own box.

There was exasperation around the packed ground, as Bohs’ intensity stressed the Saints' shape.

Particularly impressive was Afolabi, who battled ferociously with Pat’s skipper Joe Redmond across the frontline.

However, all that intensity came to a shuddering – and