City can't dwell on Sligo defeat as Higgins urges players to 'do city proud'

Derry midfielder Adam O'Reilly moves away from Sligo debutante Stephen Mallon at the Showgrounds.

RUAIDHRI Higgins says Derry City must quickly put a 'gut-wrenching' defeat to Sligo Rovers firmly to the back of their minds and attempt to 'do the city proud' in Europe.

Last Thursday's 2-1 loss at the Showgrounds, where City have earned just two points from a possible 18 in their last six visits, was particularly difficult to take for the team who were hoping to make it five wins on the bounce going into this week's Uefa Conference League campaign.

And up until the hour mark Derry appeared on their way to a victory which would've taken them to within a point of league leaders Shelbourne going into the four week league hiatus after Paul McMullan's sublime strike.

However, an Elis Chapman brace earned Sligo maximum points and a second morale-boosting win over top of the table opposition in quick succession.

Daniel Kelly gets past his man and puts in a cross during the first half of Derry City's defeat to Sligo.

Higgins was left scratching his head after watching Sadou Diallo give away a penalty kick before his defence inexplicably parted like the Red Sea to allow Chapman to weave his way into a shooting position after an uncontested 40 yard run.

Derry don't have the luxury to dwell on the result which now leaves the Brandywell club trailing Shels by three and with a game less as Higgins expects his troops to get back on track as they turn attention to Thursday's trip to Gibraltar.

“I’m absolutely gutted, really gutted with the result," he said. "Performance-wise, I thought we should have been going in two or three up at half-time.

"We probably haven't played like that in the first half and had as much control as that and chances in my whole time here. When you don't take your chances, you get punished, but yet we come out and probably convert the most difficult chance we had and get ourselves in front.

Sligo Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty celebrates a big win for the Bit O'Red over Derry City. Photographs by Kevin Moore.

“We had total control of the game, we had the game in the palm of our hands and then poor defending for the first goal, really poor defending for both goals actually.

“The second goal was just terrible from our end and they've won a game that they shouldn't be winning, far from it. In my view, we should have had the game done by half-time, but then if you can't win it in the second half, don't lose it and we've shown real naivety there, for both goals and got punished.

“We've got to get on with it because if you dwell on the league result for too long, then you're going to have a difficult time over the next few weeks. So, we've got to get on with it.

"It's important that we try and remain as positive as we can because we've got a lot of big games coming up.

Danny Mullen gets away from Sligo Rovers' Will Fitzgerald.

"We have to get on with it. We don't play until early August in the league. We've some big games coming up for the club, for the supporters. It's important that we do the city proud over the next few weeks and get over this defeat quickly.”

Higgins can't be faulted for trying everything at his disposal to get more out of the game as he emptied his bench of attacking talent. Indeed, Derry finished with three strikers on the pitch in Pat Hoban, Daniel Kelly and Colm Whelan but it just wasn't to be.

"We got Danny and Mickey [Duffy] on and went 4-4-2 to go and win the game. We ended up basically with a 4-2-4 or whatever you want to call it. We got the benefits at Dalymount of throwing the kitchen sink at it a bit. I felt the game was there for the winning tonight and we've lost, which is really, really difficult to take.”

The City boss put it down to naivety and a lack of composure when chasing the game and while Shels' 1-1 draw at Drogheda softened the blow, Higgins didn't take much consolation from it.

We're at our best when we play with confidence and with a bit of a swagger and back ourselves, but when we get edgy, it doesn't suit the team.”

It’s approaching ‘squeaky bum time’ in the race for the title so is that lack of composure down to pressure creeping in?

“No, not at all. There's 11 games to go. There's not three or four games to go.

"We're in a privileged position. We're fighting at the top end of the table. We're enjoying our football. You didn't ask me that question six nights ago so ‘no’ is the answer.

"I just think we lost our way a wee bit and went away from doing what we were doing well and put the game to bed. It's gut-wrenching.

"We have to take it. It's a kick in the teeth but we've got the crack on.”