National League Premier Division/Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 0: What's seldom is wonderful. Wesley Charles scored Bray's first goal, a terrific strike at that, in what was two minutes short of nine hours of football to give them a first win of their league season.

The victory lifts Bray off the foot of the table for the first time in a month and to within a point of Longford, who were left to rue missing several clear-cut chances from a match they deserved something from.

A legacy of their abject display in losing 3-0 to Bohemians last Friday, Bray rang in the changes with erstwhile regulars Michael Roche, Philip Keogh and Robbie Doyle all dropped.

Brian McGovern was given the captaincy ahead of Colm Tresson, but looked a little uneasy early on, his error very nearly gifting Dessie Baker an opening on 10 minutes after the Bray defender failed to cut out Gary Cronin's dangerous low cross.

Goalkeeper Chris O'Connor retrieved the situation with a good stop with his feet - though an all too casual Baker knows he should have put the ball in the back of the net.

Even greater credit was due to O'Connor 14 minutes later when he excelled to turn Andy Myler's downward header round a post with a one-handed save after delightful skill on the right from Alan Kirby to get his cross into the danger area.

The threat remained, though Bray's negligent defending wasn't punished as Danny O'Connor's free header from Cronin's corner powered wide.

Bray didn't register any intent until the 35th minute when Paul Caffrey determinedly won the ball off O'Connor before lobbing his shot marginally over the crossbar.

Bray showed more purpose in the second half, with Caffrey again surging through from midfield to drill a shot wide before Kevin Doherty executed the perfect tackle on Eamon Zayed, who looked through on goal from Caffrey's ball.

Colm James then headed over the bar from David Tyrrell's cross, before the goal finally arrived on 80 minutes.

Tyrrell's corner wasn't defended, and Stephen Fox laid the ball off to central defender Charles, who rifled a shot to the roof of the net off his left foot from the edge of the area to palpable relief.

BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor; Gifford, Charles, McGovern, Ryan (Keogh, 68 mins); James, Caffrey, Tresson, D Tyrrell (Doyle, 86 mins); Zayed, Fox.

LONGFORD TOWN: S Kelly; Murphy, Doherty, O'Connor, Prunty; Baker, Kirby (Gough, 90 mins), Byrne, Cronin; R Martin, Myler (Myler, 80 mins).

Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).