SOME more Rennie rotation helped Bohemians to their third win on the spin.
Just as he had on Monday, Alan Reynolds made six changes to his starting line-up as he dealt with the challenge of three games in seven days.
And the Tinkerman approach worked again because, as happened against Dundalk earlier in the week, a goal from James Akintunde was enough for Bohs to overcome Louth opposition.
At the start of the week he came off the bench to make the difference. This time he started and had Bohs ahead inside the first quarter of an hour.
It was the first time in more than a year that Bohs had won three league games in a row and it moved them into second
And, to underline how they have tightened up at the back, in the five matches since losing 3-1 to Shamrock Rovers in his first game in charge, Rennie’s side have conceded just one goal from open play
The clinical execution of the goal was at odds with Bohs’ general play in the opening exchanges as they made a catalogue of errors.
In quick succession, Dayle Rooney was dispossessed by Gary Deegan, Alan Foley pounced on Paddy Kirk’s indecision, Declan McDaid knocked the ball out of play and Jevon Mills sent a long ball straight into the arms of Jethren Barr.
But it all came together with the goal. First of all, captain Jordan Flores – back after suspension – switched play brilliantly to the right with Luke Matheson running onto the ball.
His initial first-time cross was blocked by Warren Davis but the right-back got a second chance and he pulled it back where Akintunde was well-placed to sidefoot home for his fourth goal in seven games.
Bohs had some other good attacks with McDaid and Adam McDonnell linking up well but Akintunde overhit a cross to Rooney.
Then, Rooney cut in from the right and laid the ball off to McDaid whose left foot shot had Barr beaten all ends up but flashed wide of the far post.
Drogheda were competitive but looked most threatening from set-pieces but, before they could take a free-kick shortly before the interval, boss Kevin Doherty incurred the wrath of referee Gavin Colfer.
Bouba Keita had already been booked for a foul on Ryan Brennan before he was penalised for a high foot on the same player with Doherty presumably pointing out what was worth of another caution.
Colfer did flash the yellow card again, but it was to Doherty.
His mood was probably not helped by seeing Keita head behind Conor Kane’s free-kick. From Darragh Markey’s subsequent corner, Hayden Cann could not keep his header on target.
Given Keita’s close shave, it was probably no surprise to see Cian Byrne coming on at the start of the second half but it was Mills rather than Keita he replaced.
Half-time broke whatever momentum Drogheda had with Bohs dominant after the restart with Rooney having two half-chances and Flores heading over from a corner within the opening 10 minutes.
But they failed to put the game beyond Drogheda’s reach and almost hit the self-destruct button midway through half
They poured forward in numbers but ran out of ideas and played it back to Flores who was dispossessed by substitute Frantz Pierrot.
He laid it off to Gary Deegan who passed to Alan Foley who played it to Oisin Gallagher who picked out Pierrot with a fine ball.
The Haitian’s first touch plucked it out of the sky but he had to rearrange his feet before he could get his shot off which was comfortably dealt with by Kacper Chorazka.
He did likewise in the 90th minute as Bohs held on.
SUN STAR MAN: Adam McDonnell (Bohemians)
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka 7; Matheson 7, Mills 6 (Byrne 46, 6), Keita 7, Kirk 6; Flores 7, J McManus (B McManus 76, 5 ); Rooney 7, McDonnell 7 (Clarke 88, ), McDaid 6 (Connolly 68, 5); Akintunde 7 (Piszczek 68. 5).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Barr 6; Heeney 6 (Webster 79, 4), Keaney 6, Cann 6, Kane 6 (Callioce 79, 4); Deegan 7, Gallagher 6; Foley 6, Markey 6 (O’Brien, 67, 4), Davis 5 (McNally 60, 5); Brennan 6 (Pierrot 60, 6).
REFEREE: G Colfer (Wicklow) 6