WHAT a difference a week has made for Derry City boss Ruaidhrí Higgins. Following the doom and gloom after their home loss to Shamrock Rovers, the Brandywell men secured back-to-back victories over St Patrick’s Athletic and Waterford.
In doing so, they have gained four points on champions Rovers and are now second, just three points behind leaders Shelbourne.
The 2-0 victory at the RSC on Friday evening thanks to goals from Will Patching and Pat Hoban, thrilled Higgins as the response to the setback of losing to the Tallaght men.
“The Rovers game was extremely disappointing,” explained Higgins.
“We were all hurting but we’ve taken six points out of six over a Monday/Friday period so it’s a really good reaction from the players which I know that they’re capable of. We’ve good characters in the squad and they’re good people.
“The staff and the players have stuck together and we’ve got a good six points but listen, it’s great to win down here away from home and we move on.
“I was really pleased with our win and performance at Waterford.
“I think after the first 10 minutes we really got to grips with the game and we created plenty of opportunities at Waterford, we could have scored more goals and we also kept our first clean-sheet in a while, which is really pleasing.
“I felt that apart for a five or ten minute period in the second half, we were worthy winners. I just felt it was a really good away performance.”
City substitute Daniel Kelly, who has struggled since his switch to Foyleside in the winter, played a major role in both goals against Keith Long’s side.
The pacy winger was brought down for Patching’s first-half penalty and his shot after a superb run was spilled by Waterford goalkeeper Sam Sargeant for Hoban to turn home.
It was exactly what the doctor ordered and Higgins hopes the 27-year-old can now kick-on from his display.
“Listen, Daniel hasn’t had the start that what he would have wanted at the club,” stated the Derry gaffer.
“He’s taken a bit of stick, but he’s stuck with it and he did brilliant for the penalty, that’s what he does, he gets into goalscoring positions and he also did brilliant for Pat’s goal, so that will be great for Daniel and great for us.
“Pat’s goal came at a really good time for us, because just after that they hit the crossbar but we saw it out.
‘’As opportunities go we created seven or eight really good chances and I’m proud of the players. Also fair play to the supporters who travelled down to Waterford, as it’s some trek.”
It was Derry’s first victory on the road this season, their first back-to-back wins of the campaign and their first clean-sheet since their scoreless draw at Damien Duff’s table-toppers in early April. The Limavady man was delighted that his side got those monkeys off their backs.
“Absolutely, I’m delighted that we’ve done those things,” he added.
“It was really important coming into the game that we won it; winning it with a clean-sheet is a bonus and it will give us confidence now going to Galway this Friday night.
“Galway themselves got a really good result at (Shamrock) Rovers tonight (Friday) and have been an outstanding team this season and have done really well since they’ve come up, so we’ll need to approach that game properly and try to get another big three points.”
