Git Forrester stood up to be counted - literally - to head St Patrick’s Athletic to a priceless win over champions Shamrock Rovers at Richmond Park.
The Athletic’s captain stood tall to nod home the only goal of the game early in the second half to arrest a two-goal losing streak in Inchicore.
Pats fell to successive one-goal defeats to Sligo Rovers and Bohemians following an impressive 3-0 win over Shelbourne on the opening day.
And Forrester eased the pressure on new boss Tim Clancy with a towering header from Darragh Burns’ corner as the Saints won the day.
It was a well-deserved win for the home side in a tight match that yielded few clear chances for either side but was blown apart when Forrester inched his team in front just after the break.
Rovers had the better of a tense first half, with both Rory Gaffney and Jack Byrne testing on-loan West Ham United keeper Joseph Anang with well-placed efforts.
Gaffney cut inside from the right-hand endline to force Anang into a low save before Byrne saw his long-range effort similarly dealy with.
Mark Doyle headed over for the Saints early on as they looked to sit deep and hit the Hoops on the counter-attack with some effect.
Ronan Finn had another chance to put the visitors in the lead late in the first half after being released by Dylan Watts but again he found Anang equal to his effort.
Rovers came close to capitalising on their dominance as Danny Mandroiu’s shot rippled the net, but his shot from a tight angle found the wrong side of the post.
The away side’s lack of accuracy in front of goal came back to haunt them just after the break as Pats won a corner on the right hand side.
Burns sent in an inswinging corner and Forrester was unmarked in the box as he glanced the ball past Alan Mannus into the net.
Forrester missed the only penalty as Rovers beat Pats in a shoot-out in the President’s Cup in Tallaght last month but he had his revenge in a much more important fixture.
Rovers pushed forward for an equaliser late on as Andy Lyons was denied by Anang before Gaffney turned the same player’s cross over.
Forrester came desperately close to doubling the Athletic’s lead as his shot was spilled by Mannus before the Belfast man gathered at the second attempt.
Sean Gannon miscontrolled with the goal at his mercy and Seán Hoare headed straight at Anang as the clock wound down, but Pats held on to join Rovers in second place.
St Patricks Athletic: Joseph Anang; Jack Scott, Tom Grivosti, Joe Redmond, Anto Breslin; Adam O’Reilly, Chris Forrester (captain), Billy King (Tunde Owolabi 73), Darragh Burns (Ian Bermingham 80), Mark Doyle, Eoin Doyle
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Andy Lyons (Barry Cotter 75), Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts (Aidomo Emakhu 83), Ronan Finn (Sean Gannon 75); Danny Mandroiu (Graham Burke 58), Jack Byrne, Rory Gaffney (Aaron Greene 75)
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).
