Pat Hoban hits first Derry City hat-trick as Candy Stripes make it three wins on the spin at Brandywell

PAT HOBAN walked off Brandywell pitch with the matchball after hitting his first Derry City hat-trick as the Candy Stripes strolled to a third home win on the spin against 10 man Waterford.

The Galwegian hitman has incredibly netted SIX goals from five matches for his new club and his second on the night was the pick of the bunch as he reacted quickest to a bouncing ball in the Waterford box and with his back to goal sent an overhead kick into the bottom corner.

His first goal may well go before the dubious goals committee but his 41st minute close range strike was goalbound before striking the knee of Darragh Leahy and there was no one going to argue with the ruthless City striker as he walked off the pitch with the matchball under his arm.

It was a night to forget for his former Dundalk teammate who was sent off for bringing down Paul McMullan inside the penalty area on 52 minutes and up stepped Hoban to stroke the spotkick into the bottom corner and complete his hat-trick.

It was his sixth goal for his new club which incredibly equalled the goals tally for Derry's highest scoring striker last season!

On a night former City No.2 Alan Reynolds returned to the Brandywell dugouts, it was Ruaidhri Higgins who gained the upper hand on his former assistant.

Higgins made just one change from Monday's 2-2 draw with Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght as Daniel Kelly came in for his second start of the season at the expense of Shane McEleney who dropped to the bench.

The big news for the Foylesiders was the return of skipper Patrick McEleney to the bench having missed the previous two games with a thigh injury.

Fresh from that morale-boosting 3-1 win over St Pat's at the RSC, Keith Long also made just the one change as Harvey MacAdam replaced Rowan McDonald in midfield.

Neither keeper was troubled in the opening stages but Brian Maher failed to connect with his punch when Parson's snapshot was deflected into the air inside the six yard box but Waterford couldn't capitalise and Derry cleared it behind for a corner.

Derry should've hit the front on the half hour mark when Hoban controlled Maher's pass brilliantly before playing a first time ball over the top for Kelly who ran in behind the Waterford defence but the winger somehow missed the target with his right footed strike from just inside the box.

Four minutes before the break McMullan played a quick free-kick to set Duffy free on the left and the winger crossed low towards Hoban and the striker's close range strike found the net via the knee of Leahy.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time Derry doubled their lead when Ben Doherty floated a free-kick into the penalty area and when Connolly headed back across the goalmouth Hoban reacted quickest and found the bottom corner with a beautifully taken overhead kick from 12 yards for his fourth goal in five matches.

McJannet played McMullan through on goal with a lovely pass down the left flank and when the Scotsman ran across Leahy the Waterford defender clipped his heels referee Paul Norton pointed to the penalty spot. The match official went to his pocket and flashed a red card to Leahy for the offence and Hoban stepped up to send Sargeant the wrong way with his second successful spotkick in succession for the Candystripes.

Duffy hobbled off the pitch as Derry's injury issues continued and he was replaced by in-form striker Danny Mullen who scored from the bench on his last two outings.

It was Jordan McEneff who was to test Sargeant on 55 minutes when he fired goalwards from a narrow angle but the Waterford keeper saved smartly with his outstretched leg.

Connolly and Adam O'Reilly both went off injured to add to the Brandywell club's mounting injury problems and Waterford sensed an opportunity with the Munster men enjoying their best spell of the match without testing Maher.

It was a procession for Derry in the final stages and McEneff threatened to inflict further misery on the league's newcomers with an effort from distance which was claimed at the second attempt by Sargeant in stoppage time.

Derry remain unbeaten after five games and stretched their unbeaten home record to an impressive 14 league matches.

Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly (S. McEleney 59), McJannet, Doherty; O'Reilly ( Todd 69), McEneff, McMullan; Kelly, Hoban, Duffy (Mullen 54); Subs Not Used - Ryan, Coll, P. McEleney, McGinty. Patton, O'Donnell.

Waterford; Sargeant; Power (Forde 28), Leahy, Radkowski (McCourt 58), Burke, Horton, Baggley, Macadam (Akachukwu 82); Parsons (McCormack 82), Asamoah (McDonald 57); Amond; Subs Not Used - Connor, O'Keefe. Arubi, McMenamy.

Referee: Paul Norton.