Keith Long: 'It's important that we got the second round of games off to a positive start'

Keith Long's side have set a high bench mark for themselves after impressing in recent campaigns.

Keith Long's side have set a high bench mark for themselves after impressing in recent campaigns. Credit: Clare McCahill (ETPhotos)

Bohemians boss Keith Long stressed the importance that his side got their second round of games off to a positive start on Saturday evening.

Bohs clinched a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Finn Harps, with an Ali Coote brace setting them on their way to a first home league win of the season.

Ross Tierney and Keith Buckley also got their names on the scoresheet as Harps struggled to contain a strong performance from the hosts.

“It was a good win,” Long said after the game. “It has been a while since we won here so it’s important that we got the first round of games off to a positive start.

“We got ahead early and controlled the tempo of the game. We were aggressive and played on the front foot. We got the second goal and then the third which was really well taken by Ali.

“All the goals were good so we’re quite pleased with the performance and the result.”

Next up for Bohs is a trip to Bishopsgate – as they look to right the wrongs of their opening home league game of the season against Longford Town, a game in which they coughed up a two-goal lead late on.

“All the games are really tough,” he added. “We threw away a two-goal lead the last time here against Longford and to be fair to Longford they didn’t give up.

“They deserved to come away with something that day, but we can’t look back.

“We can only look forward and go into next week with confidence and new sense of optimism because the first round of games wasn’t what we wanted and expected. Hopefully we can move forward.”