Sligo Rovers 1 Derry City 1
All the talk may have been of Sligo’s runof home victory, but it was catenaccio City style, as the Candystripes produced an assured defensive performance to take a point.
The visitors started with a fluid 4-4-1-1 which saw McDaid dropping deep into midfield to close the space and frustrate the home side. The visitors were comfortable in the opening stages but still found themselves behind after twenty five minutes.
The home side broke down the left and Keane burst into the box, drilling the ball low across the goal. Doherty appeared to get a hand to the ball, but it only deflected the ball into the path of North who gleefully dispatched it to make it 1-0. The goal seemed to spur City to increase their efforts and Rodgers did well to push a McDaid volley away. Molloy had a shot blocked from a corner as City clawed themselves back into the game.
The attacking runs of Simon Madden from full back have been a feature of the season so far and another lung bursting run led the Dubliner being fouled for a clear penalty. McDaid stepped up to smash it high into the right hand side of Rodgers’ goal to level the score.
City had a hlf chance to make it 2-1 at the break when a deep ball found McLaughlin at the back post but under pressure he wasn’t able to direct it on target. The visitors started the second half with a bang when McEleney rattled the Sligo bar with a tremendous shot. That was to City’s best chance of the second period as the home side dominated possession.
However great credit has to be go to the defensive focus of City who may have allowed Sligo to boss the ball, but the home side were completely unable to punch holes in the City rearguard.
City head to Tallaght on Monday with renewed confidence are a solid display at the League leaders.
