'Angry' Ruaidhrí Higgins calls for consistency as Derry City let Drogs off the hook

​It wasn't exactly a reenactment of Muhammad Ali's rope-a-dope tactics but Drogheda weathered the storm and Derry's inability to turn the screw played into their hosts' hands as the match wore on.

The Candy Stripes had the Boynesiders 'on the ropes' having responded brilliantly to a third minute Warren Davis' goal as Michael Duffy headed powerfully home from Paul McMullan's cross before another masterclass in sensational finishes from the in-form Will Patching put them in front heading into the interval.

Derry could've been out of sight going into the break such was their dominance against a Drogheda team forced into a defensive reshuffle after injuries to Evan Weir and Andrew Quinn.

A lack of ruthlessness and composure during that spell and for 15 minutes into the second half allowed the Drogs to do what they do best - cling on and then bite when the time's right. And that's exactly how it transpired.

Danny Mullen had the best of the second half chances when he did superbly to glance Ronan Boyce's cross from deep goalwards but it crashed off the post.

The Boynesiders grew in belief after that and when they brought on Franz Pierrot and put two up top, Derry responded with the introduction of Shane McEleney and then Ben Doherty but it was a defensive move which backfired.

Pierrot - a one-time target of Derry - found himself in space on the edge of the area and he curled his effort around the sprawling Brian Maher and tucked it into the net off the foot of the far post to break the visitors' resolve and get off the mark for the season.

Higgins couldn't understand why his team retreated and invited Drogheda on when questioned about how they lost their grip on the game as Derry went a fifth away match without victory.

"Really strange emotions," he said afterwards. "A lot of anger. We had the game in the palm of our hands and we let it slip," he lamented. "We know that when you come to this place they're never out of the game unless you put them out of the game. I thought it shouldn't have got to the last 20 or 25 minutes with them still in the game and it came back to haunt us.

"We hit the post to go 3-1 up but after those chances we retreated too much and gave away silly free-kicks around our box and invited pressure. Ultimately it cost us."

The defending for the second goal annoyed Higgins most and the concession of cheap goals this season is something he knows his team must eradicate if they're to challenge for honours this term.

"Really poor goal. You know when you're 2-1 up away from home at Drogheda they are going to put balls in your box and we knew we would have to defend at moments and we didn't defend well enough for the second goal.

"First half we responded really well to going a goal behind. We played some brilliant football, got ourselves deservedly in front and it could've been one or two more. Then we had the best chances in the opening stages of the second half but I don't know why, for whatever reason we retreated and invited pressure.

"We're all in it together. It's a group thing. It's not a blame game. It's been too common for the last couple of years where we've been drawing games. If we're serious about doing anything we need to put those games to bed and get another three points on the board. Instead we're leaving with one. We knew going into this. They're a tough nut to crack. They keep going.

"We had them on the ropes at a point and should've finished them off. When that happens and you give teams life, particularly this team down here, they grew back into the game and it cost us."

Derry have been so good defensively in recent seasons but the second on the night was the 10th conceded in the opening 10 and sixth in five away matches!

"We've got to defend that better. Their move starts on the dugout side and moves to the other side and comes back in our box. So not just the defending to stop the shot but there were three or four instances in the build up where we should've done much better.

"It's small details in this league. You see with results constantly, it's small details which win you matches and we let ourselves down tonight on the small details.

"It's unlike us. Last year we seem to need to score two or three now. Last year we weren't giving up cheap goals and we need to get back to that.

"I've no doubt we can and we have the players in the dressing room to do that. It's gut-wrenching here to leave with a point when we had three in the palms of our hands."

The sight of Pat Hoban, Sadou Diallo, Cameron Dummigan and Colm Whelan all warming up before kick-off offers plenty of optimism for City fans.

And the fact Derry remain in second spot after 10 games despite failing to record back-to-back wins so far this season, Higgins’ troops are just four points behind the league leaders ahead of Friday night’s crunch clash with Shamrock Rovers at Brandywell.

It’s too early to be looking at the table says Higgins who insists his team must do better.

"I don't look at that [table] at all. We're 10 games into the season. It would be different if there were five games left.

"There were large parts particularly in the first hour I was really happy with. The last half hour has to be much better if you're coming to these places to win.”

Drogheda hit the front after three minutes after a neat interchange between Darragh Markey and Derry man Oisin Gallagher. The latter fired dangerously across the face of goal and Davis reacted quickest at the back post as he poked home from close range.

It was the worst possible start for the visitors who would have been disappointed with how easily Drogheda cut them open on the right side of the penalty area.

It was the fifth time in 10 games Derry conceded the first goal but they responded brilliantly to that early setback.

Just before the half hour mark Derry were back on level terms as McMullan was played in behind by a neat pass from Daniel Kelly and when the Scotsman crossed invitingly into the six yard box Duffy rose highest and headed powerfully into the net for his second goal in two games.

And then Patching came to the party. The Englishman, who netted a wonderful strike in the 4-1 win over Dundalk last week, produced another piece of magic to put Derry ahead at the break.

Mullen struck the upright with a glancing header from Boyce's searching cross from deep on 58 minutes.

Derry appeared on their way to a first away win but substitute Pierrot curled a lovely right-footed strike into the net off the foot of the post.

Five minutes additional time was signalled by the fourth official and O'Reilly flashed a shot wide of the mark as Derry attempted to find a late winner. It wasn't to come, however, and that elusive first away win still evades Higgins' troops.

Drogheda: Barr; Weir (McNally 29) Quinn (Kane 20), Cann, Keaney; Markey, Deegan, Bawa (Webster h-t), Brennan (Pierrot 76), Gallagher; Davis (Cailloce 76).

Derry City : Maher: Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Coll (McEneff 90); Kelly (S. McEleney 77), Patching, O'Reilly, Duffy; McMullan; Mullen (Doherty 85).

Referee - Damien MacGraith (Mayo).