THEY are the masters of the late, late show and Shamrock Rovers did it yet again as an injury-time goal, from defender Liam Scales, broke the resistance and the hearts of a Longford Town side who were seconds away from a hard-earned draw.

Stephen Bradley's outfit had just-about earned wins, both by a one-goal margin with a late winner, against Longford already this season but just when it seemed as if the league's bottom side would end the Hoops' winning run, Scales popped up in injury time to head home a key goal in the title race.

The Hoops came into the game on the back of a five-game winning streak in all competitions but, as Bohemians and Dundalk also found out over the weekend, matching the highs of a big European night in a subsequent league game was no easy task.

Aidomo Emakhu, the Hoops' match-winning hero against Teuta in Europe on Thursday, came in for his first start and he was a handful from the off, Longford full back Paddy Kirk booked after only five minutes for a foul on the teenager.

Steacy stood firm to keep out a shot by Graham Burke on 13 minutes, while he had an easy save to make on 27 minutes when Richie Towell fired his free kick straight at the Longford keeper, and Roberto Lopes saw a headed effort sail over the bar.

Early in the second half Emakhu and Aaron Greene tried their luck without troubling Steacy too much and on the hour mark, Rovers boss Stephen Bradley looked to his bench to change their fortunes, with Danny Mandroiu, Dylan Watts and Rory Gaffney all asked to pitch in for the last half hour.

Gaffney had a shot on 67 minutes which was too high while at the other end, Aaron Dobbs tested Alan Mannus with a long-range effort. Longford were under constant pressure but their back line, marshalled by the impressive O'Driscoll, stood firm.

Aodh Dervin once again underlined his value to Daire Doyle's side while Steacy made three saves in the final three minutes, denying Sean Kavanagh, Burke and Mandroiu and in injury time a Ronan Finn header came off the post.

But four minutes into added time, Celtic target Scales managed to rise above his marker and head past Steacy.

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Liam Scales; Max Murphy (Ronan Finn 66), Chris McCann (Dylan Watts 61), Richie Towell (Danny Mandroiu 61), Sean Kavanagh (Lee Grace 89); Graham Burke, Aidomo Emakhu (Rory Gaffney 61), Aaron Greene

Longford Town: Lee Steacy; Aaron McNally (Joe Manley 85), Mick McDonnell, Aaron O’Driscoll, Paddy Kirk; Aodh Dervin, Dean Zambra, Matthew O’Brien (Aaron Robinson 62); Rob Manley, Dylan Grimes (Karl Chambers 62), Aaron Dobbs (Callum Warfield 73)

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare)