Derry City go top after freak own goal defeats Waterford at RSC

Waterford 0, Derry City 1

A freak second half own goal from Waterford keeper Louis Jones sent Derry City top of the Airtricity Premier Division table after Shelbourne were held at home by Bohemians.

Jones' error completed a clean sweep of victories for Ruaidhri Higgins team against the Blues this season but more crucially allowed the Candystripes to capitalise on Shels' stalemate in the Dublin derby and move ahead on goal difference. Damien Duffy's team still retain a game in hand but this was a huge result for Derry.

After hitting eight goals and conceding none in their previous three encounters aginst Keith Long's team, Derry discovered a more frugal Waterford this time but the visitors still deserved their win, even if there was a huge slice of luck about how they secured it.

There looked little danger when Ben Doherty's persistence saw him chase a lost cause and loop a high header back across goal only minutes after Christie Pattisson had struck the Derry post. And there shouldn't have been any danger either, but perhaps that was the problem as Jones lost track of the dropping ball which struck his head and bounced back over the line.

It won't appear on any 'Goal of the Season' reels but it could yet be the most important goal Derry score (or is that don't score!) in this title race.

And the result wasn't the only positive for Higgins who saw new signing Wisdom impress as he fitted seamlessly into a defensive unit that looked excellent, a back four in which Mark Connolly and Ciaran Coll look a first class central partnership.

Indeed it's been a busy week of comings and goings at Brandywell with the club also announcing the arrivals of 22-year old centre-half Duncan Idehen, recently released by Bristol City, and ex-Forest Green winger Sean Robertson in the hours before kick-off to add to Wednesday's signing of Wisdom.

Higgins named two changes from the side that defeated Cork City in the the FAI Cup, Connolly returning in place of Shane McEleney with Wisdom handed a debut as Danny Mullen dropped to the bench. The ex-Liverpool and Derby County man slotted in at right-back which released Cameron Dummigan into his preferred central midfield position while there was a place on the bench for Robertson after tendonitis in Daniel Kelly's knee meant he missed out.

Waterford were boosted midweek by the rescinding of Darragh Leahy's red card against Athlone Town but manager Keith Long was forced to watch from the RSC stands after he was handed a three game touchline ban for his own dismissal in last week's controversial cup defeat.

A swirling wind favouring the visitors in the opening 45 minutes did its best to spoil the opening exchanges of a first half in which neither keeper was over worked. Christie Pattisson saw an early shot blocked by Coll while Pat Hoban sent a difficult header harmlessly wide but by and large the first half hour was bereft of any goalmouth incident.

That changed on 34 minutes when a Coll header out from the back found Adam O'Reilly in space inside the home half. O'Reilly was able to get his head up and picked out McMullan with a lovely threaded pass. The angle was against the Scot but he still produced a fierce low drive which beat Jones but not his near post, the ball striking the foot of the upright before being cleared.

If that was a close call for Waterford, Derry had an escape of their own a minute before the break when a free from the left saw the ball break kindly to Leahy whose shot from eight yards needed a brilliant Brian Maher save. The City No. 1 dived low to his right to keep the game level before ensuring Padraig Amond couldn't convert the follow-up as Derry's scrambled defence ensured parity at half-time.

Derry came out after half-time on the front foot but it was Waterford who came within inches out taking the lead on 54 minutes. A long clearance from Jones didn't look particularly dangerous but Amond did superbly to control and cushion the ball for Pattisson in one movement. Pattisson still had plenty to do but his clever turn fooled Connolly and bought him enough space to strike a fierce drive which cannoned off the inside of Maher's post and away to safety.

Derry breathed a sigh of relief and six minutes later their luck was in again with probably the strangest goal of the season.

Cameron Dummigan's lofted ball toward the by-line was no more than hopeful but Doherty deserved huge credit for not giving up a ball others would have turned away from. Chasing with Darragh Power, and only inches from being out of play, the best he could hope for was to loop his header centrally and hope a team-mate benefitted. What he wouldn't have expected was Waterford keeper Jones to fumble the ball over the line. It was unfortunate on Jones but Derry weren't about the look a gift horse in the mouth in a match of fine margins.

The loss of Cameron Dummigan to injury on 65 minutes was a concern but Higgins had a ready made replacement in Diallo and Derry's rhythm remained largely unchanged as Michael Duffy was only centimetres from connecting with Hoban's tempting pass across the face of goal while, at the other end, Pattisson was similarly close to a Barry Baggley centre.

Danny Mullen and Robertson were introduced, the latter for his debut, but both defences remained on top until Waterford fashioned their best chance of the game with one minute of regulation time left. Substitute Gbemi Arubi made space on the right and his excellent ball picked out the perfectly timed run of Ryan Burke who met it unmarked 15 yards out but he couldn't keep his shot down.

Arubi did have a goal correctly chalked off for offside as we headed into six minutes of added time but the Candy Stripes defence had been excellent all night and wouldn't be breached. One goal, a huge three points. On we go!

Waterford FC: Louis Jones, Darragh Power, Ryan Burke, Grant Horton (Connor Parsons, 73mins), Rowan McDonald, Barry Baggley, Padraig Amond, Darragh Leahy, Kacper Radkowski, Sam Glenfield (Dean McMenamy, 77mins), Christie Pattisson (Gbemi Arubi, 82mins).

Derry City: Brian Maher, Ciaran Coll, Ben Doherty (Shane McEleney, 85mins), Mark Connolly, Andre Wisdom, Cameron Dummigan (Sadou Diallo, 65mins), Adam O'Reilly, Will Patching, Michael Duffy, Paul McMullan (Sean Robertson, 77mins), Pat Hoban (Danny Mullen, 77mins).

Referee: Neil Doyle