The omens weren't good as Drogheda were a bag of nerves early on and a mistake by keeper Dan Connor gifted the ball to Henrik Larsson inside the first minute with Connor redeeming himself with a tip over save.

Three minutes later Jakobsson crashed a header from Andreas Dahl's corner off a post.

Eamon Zayed wasted what was Drogheda's only real chance on eight minutes when slicing well wide after Ollie Cahill worked a one-two with Simon Webb.

Helsingborg enjoyed all the possession as Drogheda were chasing shadows trying to get the ball.

It was much of the same in the second half.

Omotoyossi just failed to connect after a clever backheel from Larsson before Helsingborg got their deserved lead on 51 minutes.

A free-kick from Dahl ricocheted around the Drogheda box. Olafur Skulason toed the ball to Jakobsson who drilled it home from about ten yards.

Helsingborg wrapped it up on 68 minutes with a swift counterattack.

Larsson's simple skill was central to it as he put Omotoyossi in and the Benin international spun back off Shelley and beat Connor at his near post from a tight angle for a lovely goal.

Subsitutute Karekezi added the third on 91 minutes when drilling home through a crowded goalmouth after Larsson's free-kick inside the Drogs area came back off Gartland.