Saints edge out dogged Harps to maintain winning run

Anto Breslin provided an assist and his first goal for the club, with what proved the winner, as St Patrick's Athletic made it four wins on the bounce to keep their quest for European football next season on the boil.

Unbeaten now in their last six league games, Tim Clancy's side edge to within two points of third-place Dundalk with a game in hand.

The consolation for Harps was UCD losing at Derry City meaning they remain two points ahead of the Students in the relegation play-off place.

Injury and suspension hit Harps, whose manager Ollie Horgan watched from the stand due to a dugout ban, set up well to frustrate the hosts in the early exchanges.

It didn’t last long, though, as Saints, unchanged from their big win at Bohemians on Monday, were ahead from their first meaningful attack of the game on 15 minutes.

Serge Atakayi released Breslin on the overlap down the left. The wingback skipped past Jose Carrillo all too easily to cross.

The ball arrowed across the goal to the far post where Chris Forrester applied the finish.

Rattled, further sloppy Harps’ defending was punished as they conceded again three minutes later from an attack down the opposite flank.

Barry Cotter got to the end line to deliver the centre. Goalkeeper James McKeown couldn’t hold it, spilling the ball into the path of Breslin who rifled to the roof of the net.

Harps hit back on 24 minutes to punish poor defending at the other end, Eric McWoods getting free on the right to cross for unmarked skipper Barry McNamee to tap home.

Atakayi stretched Harps nine minutes into the second half, racing onto Eoin Doyle’s flicked header.

He set up Forrester whose drive cannoned back off a defender with Jamie Lennon then following up to drill a shot just wide of McKeown’s