In Bray last Saturday Bohemians created many more scoring opportunities than they converted, but secured the win with a second-half goal.

“You’d be more worried if you weren’t creating the chances. But we’ve got to learn to convert them when they come our way. Against some of the better teams the chances may not come as often,” said Long.

Keeping a fifth clean sheet in as many competitive games gave Bohemians the win with a single goal. “You build from the back, that’s the foundation of what we do, so we’re really pleased not to have conceded a goal as yet in the league,” said Long.

Saturday’s goal came from Adam Evans, who also scored away against Limerick in the first league game. The 20-year-old has shone as one of Bohemians’ stars so far, testing defences repeatedly with his runs down the left.

“I’m really happy for Adam. He is unproven in the League of Ireland. I knew him as a school-boy player with Belvedere, when he was highly thought of,” said Long.

“He has always had lightning pace. He’s a young man and he will mature and adapt to the pace and physicality of League of Ireland football.

“He is seeing the benefits of the pre-season with the team, and now he has the greater confidence that comes from scoring goals.”

Bohemians have all players available for the Dundalk game, apart from long-term injury Dan Byrne (cruciate) and Dave Mulcahy (calf), who will rejoin team training in the next week or two.

The part-time squad will be fully tested with three games in six days, but Long is focused on getting the best-possible side out in Tuesday’s game before he thinks about Friday’s trip to Tallaght.

The Bohemian manager remains optimistic about his squad’s possibilities. “We’re going to improve. We will evolve. The team will change from time to time. For this week, we will do our very best to get a result in the games.”

In three league and league-cup games, Bohemians have racked up eight goals without conceding any. Five of the goals have come from set-pieces, two more last Friday when defender Anto Murphy scored from a free-kick and from a corner.

For Long, last weekend’s win against Galway United was “very pleasing, because we didn’t play to our full potential”.

Bohemians created many more scoring opportunities than they converted and Long admits he doesn’t know precisely what was not clicking.

“We were a bit loose at times and didn’t keep the ball as well as we could, or should,” he said. “We know we can get better but the pleasing thing is to pick up the win having not played at our best. That’s a good habit to get into.”

Dave Mulcahy (calf) and Dan Byrne (cruciate) are still out but Long otherwise has a full squad to choose from. The trip to Bray is followed on Tuesday by a home game against the league champions Dundalk but the manager is not planning to save any players.

“We’ve got to give Bray every respect, which we will do. We can’t take our foot off the pedal. We have to try and win,” he said.

“After Saturday, we will think about Tuesday. But for Saturday, we’ll put our best foot forward and pick our strongest XI against Bray.”

Following Tuesday’s showing by an almost-entirely changed team, he has the “problem that I want” of many alternative selections. “We made nine changes to the game and the boys did very well. That’s what we want, competition for every place, and everybody putting themselves into contention.”

Long expects Galway to fight hard for their first league points, after forfeiting an early lead last week against Derry City. “I’m sure they’ll be disappointed not to have picked up some points against Derry. They’ll be coming to Dalymount expecting to get a result.

“Tommy [Dunne] did very well to bring Galway up in his first season in charge, and he knows what it takes to be competitive in the Premier Division. I am under no illusions they will present a big test for us.”

Long says Bohemians’ weak home form in recent seasons has not been an issue within his squad. “We want to put in a good, positive performance in front of our supporters, get our season started in Dalymount on the right note, and hopefully send the supporters home happy with three points.”

Bohemian have all carried-over suspensions served, and only Dan Byrne and Dave Mulcahy are out through injury. Mulcahy (calf) will return to team training later this month and Byrne (cruciate) is building his fitness towards contact training in the coming weeks.

President Michael D. Higgins will attend Friday’s match, seeing Galway in action again after returning to his home-town last weekend. A strong supporter of the League of Ireland, President Higgins will be present at Dalymount Park also to mark Bohemians’ 125th anniversary year.

Among those meeting the poet-President will be Lewis Kenny, Bohemians’ newly appointed Poet in Residence.

The manager considered his team “played well in patches” against Bray Wanderers in the Leinster Senior Cup. But he has been stressing the need for his players to take scoring chances.

“We should be more ruthless in front of goal. We created chances, particularly in the second half, and if we had taken those chances, we could have won by two or three.

“It will take composure from players in front of goal, and we need them to have that belief and confidence in themselves. But we have lads who are well used to scoring and we will need others to chip in.”

Long made up for a missed friendly last weekend, cancelled because of the weather, with a XI v XI match behind closed doors on Monday. “That was a small disruption to the programme, but we’re ready now.”

Bohemians will be missing three players through suspensions carried over from last season – Stephen Best, James O’Brien, and recently re-signed Conor Murphy, who comes back to Bohemians after a spell at Shelbourne.

Also out is long-term injured Dan Byrne, and Dave Mulcahy (calf injury), who is expected to return to training next week.

Team captain Derek Pender (knee) and Dean Kelly, who took a knock in a pre-season game, will face late fitness tests. Anto Murphy, who missed the Bray game through groin injury, is fit for selection.

“I’m fully focused on the job here, and I know it’s a big job,” Long said, adding that he is fully aware of the Bohemian fans’ expectations.

“We want to generate excitement among the supporters, so that they’re proud of their team, and want to come and watch them.”

The manager expects to see continuing improvement in his team’s pre-season performances.

“It’s important that we build momentum in the pre-season. Performances will improve as we get to know each other, and to gel as a group.

“We’re coming to the business end of the pre-season and we’ll be sharpening our focus on the start of the league.

“It’s important that we put our best foot forward against Bray. We want to do well in the competition, but we have some players with niggles and we obviously don’t want to put them at risk, with the league in mind.”

Long says he and his backroom team are getting close to identifying their preferred starting line-up. “We’ve worked on different combinations. But there’s still room for players to force their way into the team.”

Bohemians have three players out – new signing Dean Kelly has taken a knock in training, Anto Murphy has a groin strain and Dan Byrne is still recovering from long-term injury, but “making good progress” and aiming to return soon to contact training.