There was familiarity around this one, Longford huffed and puffed but St Pats scored their fourth win off the season over Town.
Longford showed promise and produced one of their best performances this season, but in the end power, accuracy and ruthlessness were the difference.
Town had two shouts for a penalty turned down, but when it came to finishing it was Pats who secured the three points and European football.
Town were the ones who started brightest just four minutes were on the clock when Aaron O’Driscoll’s header connected with Aodh Dervin’s corner. A deflection took the sting out of it and away from goal.
Three minutes later and Town had another chance. Karl Chambers played Rob Manley in behind Ian Bermingham. Manley’s pull ball back resulted in Jares diving low, fishing it out and Pats were able to clear.
Pats first chance came on 11 minutes. The town defence gave Jason McClelland far too much space allowing McClelland to cut in, his shot was the wrong side of the post.
Pats looked livelier in front of goal, Darragh Nugent’s big block stopping dead Jamie Lennon’s edge of the box shot.
Town troubled Pats again on 19 minutes. A beauty of a cross from Paddy Kirk was headed low into the corner by Dean Williams. Jares scrabbled low to save.
Sam Bone fired a powerful shot just over the town bar from the edge of the box on 25 minutes, again far too much space allowed from the town defence.
Within seconds town were nearly ahead. Manley finding Williams in the box, Jares producing an excellent save low to his right as Williams shot across goal.
The deadlock was finally broken on 29 minutes, the creativity of Chris Forrester and Mattie Smith’s power undoing Town. Town had bodies back in numbers, but Forrester deftly lifted the ball into Smith who volleyed from 12-yars into the top corner.
It was slightly against the run of play, but it was the difference Town have seen all season in the premier division.
Town should have had a penalty nine minutes before half-time. Rob Manley raced in on goal, the closing Paddy Barrett seemed to bring him down from behind. Referee Ray Matthews surprisingly waved it away.
Two minutes from the break and Dean Zambra cleared Alankwah shot off the line, however Pat’s were two up on the stroke of half-time.
Robbie Benson’s corner was contested by Mattie Smith, the balled ended up in the net as Steacy and Zambra couldn’t clear.
There was still time for Longford to have a chance before the break their most clear cut of the game. Dean Williams found himself free in the box after Sam Bone slipped. Williams couldn’t get a shot off quick enough and trickled an effort wide.
Town should have got back in the game five minutes after the restart, O’Driscoll failing to connect with Aodh Dervin’s excellent dead ball delivery.
Town were controversially back in the game on 51 minutes. Pats lost possession in the Town half, Devin played Dean Williams in who appeared a good two yards offside.
Williams seemed to have taken too much out of the ball, cutting past Barret and Alankwah before blasting home. Pats will rightly question how the linesman waved Williams onside.
Town shouted for a penalty on 76 minutes sloppy pats defending saw the ball worked to Aaron Robinson his shot seemed to hit Bermingham on the arm, the referee waved it away.
Pats made it three-one with six minutes remaining and their first real attack of the second-half. A sweeping move down the right saw Darragh Burns find Lewis down the right who pulled it back for Smith to rifle home.
Smith rounded off the scoring in the first minute of injury time, Lennon released Burns in on who goal, who squared the ball for Smith to seal a 4-1 win and European football for 2022.
Longford Town: Steacy, Zambra (C), O’Driscoll, Lynch, Kirk, Robinson, Nugent (Grimes 65), Chambers (Davis 66), Dervin, Manley (Warfield 86), Williams (Dobbs 86).
St Patricks Athletic: Jares, Bone, Barrett, Alankwah (Desmond 61), Bermingham (c), Burns, Forrester (Lewis 68), Lennon, Benson (Nwoke 78), McClelland (King 61), Smith
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath)
