Ben Doherty relishing his license to roam for Derry City after netting his fifth goal of the season

​The former Larne full-back who is chasing an incredible second league winners' medal of the year with the second placed Candy Stripes, has been a revelation this season both defensively and offensively.

In the absence of Michael Duffy who featured on the bench on Friday at Oriel Park but wasn't risked due to a knock, Doherty proved a worthy replacement on the left wing.

The Culmore man had missed a gilt-edged chance moments before half-time but just 80 seconds after the restart he tucked home Derry's second of the match.

"Getting up and down the pitch is probably my biggest trait," he said afterwards. "My fitness levels and running.

"I'm not a Mickey Duffy or someone who will be in doing stepovers and taking people one-on-one but I rely on my running power and late runs into the box.

"It's a massive three points and the gaffer has put his trust in me to play a bit higher today. As I said when I first signed back at the start of the season, I'll play in nets. It's a matter of playing and getting the three points."

Despite that 2-0 lead early in the second half, Derry were forced to soak up pressure for the remainder of the match and Doherty reckons the team's experiences in Europe against quality opposition gave them confidence they could play a way which isn't a natural part of their collective game.

"We probably had to sit in a wee bit during the European games and that's probably where we found out for ourselves it's not the worst thing in the world for us because we do have players who can catch you on the break.

"Even for Patching to get his penalty, it's two passes and we're on the other side of the pitch in their box. I think our first goal was three passes out from the back.

"Sometimes you have to sit in and when you get your chances you have to take them. Tonight we were clinical when we got them.

"You can't reiterate it enough. It's a massive three points in terms of where we want to be."

It certainly is and Derry can move four points behind Shamrock Rovers with a win over UCD on Wednesday night ahead of that crunch clash with the Hoops at Brandywell on September 15th.

"We'll just have to try and stick in there as long as we can. The focus this week is each game as it comes and try and pick up three points.”