Crowe: No title talk yet at Bohs

They may be 16 points clear at the top of the eircom Premier League and on an unbeaten league run which goes back to the middle of March, but Bohemians striker Glen Crowe insists that there is still no title talk in the Gypsies' dressing room.

Friday's 3-0 victory over Finn Harps at Dalymount Park maintained Bohs 16-point advantage over nearest challengers St Patrick's Athletic and means that they now require just nine points from their remaining seven fixtures to be guaranteed of their first league title since the 2002/03 campaign.

However, while Crowe admits that Bohs can only throw it away now, he maintains that there is no chance of the players taking their foot off the gas in the coming weeks. He said: "We're getting closer, but you won't hear anybody talking about league titles in our dressing room at the moment. We've seven games left and we're in a great position and while we're delighted with being a good few points ahead, until the other teams can't catch us then there will be no celebrating done here."

The resilience and will to win of the current Bohs side - which is now unbeaten in 24 league games and has won its last ten on the bounce - was evident against Harps when, following a lacklustre first half showing, the Gypsies secured all three points with three second half goals from Jason McGuinness, Crowe himself and a late Gary Deegan strike.

According to Crowe: "We never got started in the first half really. Finn Harps made it hard for us and they had two great chances in the first half whereas we never really had any, so to come away with a 3-0 win in the end was very flattering on our part. We were able to up it a bit in the second half. Although to be honest we probably couldn't have played much worse. The first goal was massive for us. Once we got it I think we were able to settle down a little and not try to force it. The second and third goals were more because Harps had to come out and have a go at us. But all the wins we have behind us, together with the goals we've scored and with not conceding, that really kept us going in the game."

While Harps manager Paul Hegarty was disappointed with his side's second half collapse on Friday, he was quick to praise the resilience of the Bohs side. "They just keep coming and coming at you. I told the boys at half time this would happen but we gave away three sloppy goals. I didn't feel they really created an awful lot but we still ended up getting beaten 3-0. Bohs are a very fit side, very physical and they just keep going and going for 90 minutes. The difference in them since we played them earlier in the season here (also a 3-0 victory for Bohs) is that they have a real belief about themselves."

Crowe's 75th minute header against Harps was his eighth strike in the league this season. Nevertheless, the 30 year old striker maintains that he doesn't care where the goals come from as long as the team keep winning. "I go out every game and try to score, but the good thing this season is that everyone has been chipping in with goals from the defenders all the way up to the strikers," he said.

Crowe will be looking to add to his tally of goals this coming Friday when Bohs make the short trip to Drumcondra to take on bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers - a side which he has enjoyed considerable goal scoring success against in the past.

Tapping his head and saying touch wood, Crowe added: "I do have a good record against them but the only important thing is that we get the win. Afterwards you can sit back and see it as an achievement to have scored but it's just all about getting the three points. The Rovers games are always great, they'll be a great atmosphere. There's probably not a lot of football played in the games and you have to win the battle first. But these are the games you look forward to and with us on a great run of form hopefully we can carry that in and grab all three points."

Who partners Crowe in attack against Rovers remains to be seen with manager Pat Fenlon now having an embarrassment of riches in attack. Summer signing Mindaugas Kalonas was preferred against Harps on Friday, however the introduction of Neale Fenn just after the hour mark in that game coincided with Bohs scoring their three goals. The form of Crowe has meant that Jason Byrne has had to make do with a place on the bench for much of this season and Crowe admits that competition for places is keeping everyone on their toes. He said: "Kalonas and Fenn would be similar to one another, they like the ball dropping in to their feet, dropping in deep, turning and attacking players and making things happen whereas the likes of me and Jason like to play a lot further up the field and look for little balls up the side.

"The competition spurs you on as you can't have an off week or even an off day in training because Pat will be down on you like a tonne of bricks and you'll be out the team. Pat has instilled that in us from the beginning of the season - we all need to work hard and if we do that we'll get our reward. Lucky enough that's seen us through all season," he added.