Sligo Rovers 1

Derry City 0

DERRY CITY MISSED a chance to go four points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, as they lost their first game away from home this season.

Will Fitzgerald scored against his former team after four minutes, but the Bit O’Red were resolute and battled hard to hold on for a vital three points.

League leaders Derry City travelled to Sligo on Saturday evening knowing that a win would extend their lead at the top to four points.

The Bit O’Red are struggling for form, recording three defeats in a row, with four defeats in their last five.

Ruaidhri Higgins’ side had not lost a game on the road, and won four games in a row.

Luckily for Sligo, the league’s leading goalscorer Max Mata returned from injury and came straight into the starting 11 having missed the last two games.

Rovers were also three games without a goal, a massive concern for manager John Russell.

Higgins made five changes from the side that beat UCD 4-1, with Patrick McEleney and Mark Connolly fit enough to return to the bench.

Russell was desperate to see a reaction from his side’s defeat to Cork City last weekend, and he certainly got that in the first few minutes as the hosts went ahead with just four minutes played.

Estonian international Frank Liivak burst down the right wing, working his way around Ben Doherty before getting a cross into the box.

Shane McEleney did enough to knock the ball out of the box, but the relief only lasted a millisecond as former Candystripe Fitzgerald sent in a shot that was helped into the net by a Derry player, as Rovers went ahead.

Derry were looking dangerous on the attack, but really failed to trouble Luke McNicholas in the Sligo goals, but Brian Maher in the Derry City goals was rarely threatened either.

Higgins’ side shaded the possession, but will have been disappointed with their first half performance.

The visitors started the second half well, and were putting Rovers under serious pressure.

Cian Kavanagh, who came on at the start of the second-half, was causing problems for the Sligo defence, but not enough to trouble their clean sheet.

Derry’s Diallo was lucky to stay on the pitch after a strong challenge when already on a yellow, but it was the hosts who were reduced to ten when defender John Mahon was issued with a second yellow in puzzling circumstances.

Luke McNicholas was key to Sligo Rovers hanging on for a huge win, with a couple of impressive saves in the last few minutes from Ben Doherty and Michael Duffy.

Despite being under the cosh in the second half, the hosts held on for a huge win, their first in four games.

Derry remain on top of the table, but by just one point.

Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas; Niall Morahan, John Mahon, Nando Pijnaker (Johan Brannefalk 33), Reece Hutchinson; David Cawley, Greg Bolger (Lukas Browning 68); Will Fitzgerald, Frank Liivak; Kailin Barlow (Danny Lafferty 77), Max Mata.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Cameron Dummigan (Brandon Kavanagh 72), Cameron McJannet, Shane McEleney, Ben Doherty; Sadou Diallo (Ronan Boyce 72), Adam O’Reilly (Patrick McEleney 65); Ryan Graydon, Michael Duffy; Jordan McEneff (Will Patching 65); Oliver John O’Neill (Cian Kavanagh HT).

Ref: Paul McLaughlin