Derry City 1
Bohemians 1
Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
WILL PATCHING RESCUED a point from the penalty spot for league leaders Derry City who were forced to come from behind against Bohemians at the Brandywell.
Promise Omochere had put Bohs ahead following a quick counter on 15 minutes.
Derry were awarded a controversial penalty 20 minutes later when Ciaran Kelly was adjudged to have brought down Patrick McEleney inside the box.
Up stepped Patching who clinically tucked away the spot kick for his seventh goal of the season.
Shamrock Rovers’ win against Finn Harps meant Derry’s lead on the summit was cut to a single point.
The Candystripes started brightly and Matty Smith fired high over the bar with a right-footed strike from inside the Bohs penalty area with two minutes on the clock after Ciaran Kelly got a vital touch to intercept Cameron McJannet’s cross from the left.
Bohs were enjoying a decent spell of possession and from a corner kick Brian Maher needed to be alert to tip Kelly’s header over the crossbar on seven minutes.
Bohemians stunned their hosts from a quick counter on 15 minutes as Liam Burt broke at pace and with options either side and the Derry defence outnumbered, he picked out the unmarked Omochere with a lovely, disguised pass.
The Bohs striker took a touch just inside the 18 yard box before firing past Maher into the bottom corner.
The home side threatened to hit back from Kavanagh’s corner kick but Shane McEleney’s towering header went narrowly over the crossbar.
Ex-City striker Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe was picked out by a neat pass from Burt inside the Derry box but his attempt on target was deflected behind for a corner on 24 minutes.
Will Patching won a free-kick in a promising position on the left side of the Bohs penalty area. The Mancunian picked out McJannet at the back post but the defender headed across goal and wide.
Derry won a penalty on 34 minutes when Conor Levingston barged Patrick McEleney with his shoulder and when the midfielder went to ground, referee Adriano Reale pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Patching who tucked the ball into the bottom corner, sending James Talbot the wrong way.
McEleney found the run of McGonigle with a terrific ball over the top on the half volley but the Derry striker blasted over the bar as the teams went into the interval on level terms.
Five minutes into the second half McEleney found himself in space 35 yards from goal and tried a speculative effort which sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Patching came so close to adding a second for Derry on 55 minutes with a curling free-kick from 20 yards.
McGonigle did superbly to take down a crossfield pass and clip the ball past substitute Max Murphy on 66 minutes but his tame strike from close range was safely gathered by Talbot.
Omochere should’ve put Bohs ahead for a second time in the game when Tyreke Wilson found him with a brilliant cross from the left side but the striker got his header all wrong and Maher came to collect.
Patching tried his luck from distance on 90 minutes but his effort drifted wide of the mark.
Five minutes of additional time was signalled by the fourth official and while Derry dominated the ball it was Bohs sub Kris Twardek who had the best chance to win the game right at the death but his header bounced wide of the mark.
Derry City: B. Maher: S. McEleney, E. Toal, C. McJannet (J. Thomson 80); R. Boyce, C.Dummigan, W. Patching, P. McEleney; M. Smith (J. Akintunde 64), J.McGonigle, B. Kavanagh (E. McLaughlin 87); Subs Not Used – N. Gartside, C. Coll, G. Storey, D. Lafferty, D. McCallion, L. Mullan.
Bohemians: J. Talbot; S. Packham (M. Murphy 64), J. Doherty, C. Kelly, T. Wilson; A. Coote (J. Finnerty 90), J. Ogedi-Uzokwe, D. Devoy, L. Burt (K. Twardek 74), C. Levingston, P. Omochere; Subs Not Used – T. Ryan, G. Horton, R. Cassidy, J. Mullins, C. Byrne, J. McManus.
Referee: Adriano Reale