Chris Forrester bags brace as St Pat’s win first game in five
St Patrick’s Athletic 3 UCD 0
Chris Forrester scores of St Patrick's Athletic's second goal despite the attempted tackle of UCD's Michael Gallagher of UCD. Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Chris Forrester topped and tailed victory with a brace as St Patrick’s Athletic got back to winning ways at a sodden Richmond Park.
Their first three points in five games lifts St Pat's above Cork City, out of the relegation play-off place, as UCD slip five points adrift at the foot of the table.
Spells of rain throughout the day meant the game was in doubt until an hour before kick-off when Wexford referee Sean Grant finally passed it fit after a second inspection.
And with the rain continuing to drizzle down, the home side dominated from the off against a team they beat in all four meetings last season.
Eoin Doyle had a couple of sights of goal while Jay McClelland saw his cross bounce away off the far post before St Pat’s were deservedly in front on 16 minutes.
Vladislav Kreida whipped over their second corner of the night for the unmarked Forrester to head home.
A goalkeeping howler stretched St Pat's lead on 38 minutes.
The lively Jake Mulraney showed delightful feet to skip past two defenders on the edge of the area.
Kian Moore looked set to collect the left-foot shot, but the ball bounced in front of the UCD keeper on the saturated surface to spin into the net.
St Pat’s then killed the game off on 52 minutes.
McCelland played a sublime pass through for the run of Forrester, who cleverly dinked the ball over Moore for his third goal of the season.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Lyness; Curtis (Sjoberg 82, 6), Redmond, McGrath, Breslin; McClelland (McCormack, 61), Lennon, Kreida (Murphy, 74), Forrester, Mulraney (Carty, 74); E. Doyle (Lonergan, 61).
UCD: Moore; Gallagher, Keaney, O’Brien (O’Regan, 70), Wells Norris (Izekor, 59); Barr (Higgins, 59), Keane, Dignam; Behan (Clarke, 70), Nolan (Doyle, 59).
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).
Attendance: 3,411
