Bray Wanderers - 3 Drogheda -2  Jason Byrne, with a second-half double, was Bray's match-winner as they won in the league for the first time to lift themselves out of the bottom two.

No pattern had developed before Bray took the lead with a route-one goal on seven minutes.

A headed-clearance from Maurice Farrell got the faintest of touches from Jason Byrne to put Barry O'Connor in behind the sluggish Drogheda defence and he ran clear to calmly shoot beyond Gary Rogers for a good finish.

Falling behind early on didn't seem to upset Drogheda's rhythm and they maintained their impressive start to life back in the Premier Division by taking the game to Bray and ought to have been level by the interval.

Stuart Taylor forced a save from Matt Gregg with a diving header from a Dom Tierney free-kick, while Mark Quinless volleyed just over, before Shaun Gallagher also shot wide after Andy Myler played him in on goal.

Bray were a different proposition after the half-time break and they increased their lead on 67 minutes when Byrne, who had only minutes earlier set up good chances for Phil Keogh and O'Connor, headed home his first from Stephen Fox's left wing cross.

Byrne then sealed the win in the 86th minute when he ran through on to Farrell's pass to lob Rogers perfectly.

Drogheda staged a dramatic late revival, but to no avail, with Declan O'Brien getting a goal back when stabbing home from close range on 88 minutes before he slotted home a penalty in the final minute after he was tripped by Farrell.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Lynch, Doohan, Farrell; Tresson, Fox (Zahid, 75), Keogh, Ryan; Byrne, O'Connor (O'Brien, 87).

DROGHEDA UNTIED: Rogers; Dunne, Gollogley, Lynch (Charles 72), Kelly; Gallagher (McDonald 44), Quinless (Smith 71), Tierney, Taylor; O'Brien, Myler (Delaney 75).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).