DERRY CITY: City slump to defeat in Sligo

DERRY CITY suffered a second successive defeat of the campaign as two late Sligo Rovers goals decided a scrappy game at the Showgrounds.

Former Liverpool striker, Adam Morgan netted his first goal for the Bit O'Red on 76 minutes to give the home side the lead.

And ex-Hearts winger, Ally Roy netted what proved to be the winner to secure Sligo's first win of the season when he drove through the heart of the City defence and fired low past Gerard Doherty with seven minutes to go.

Ronan Curtis capitalised on a mistake from Seamus Sharkey in the final minute with a neat finish but it was too little, too late to stage a comeback as City slumped to another 2-1 loss and Kenny Shiels admitted it was a 'fair' result.

"They should have won last week (against Limerick), probably more so than they should've won tonight but you have to give them credit that they deserved to win."

It's very early days in terms of the season but the City boss admitted he felt anxious to get the first points on the board as City sit bottom of the table with two defeats from two away fixtures.

"The boys are disappointed in themselves. You want to get the first victory if you can and we have another tough game on Tuesday night (against Bohemians at Dalymount) and we're going to make sure our preparation is good for that."

Shiels made one change from the team which lost 2-1 to Waterford on the opening night with Curtis replacing Jamie McDonagh on the left wing.

New signings, Chris Turner and Niall Logue, who completed his move on deadline day, were named on bench.

Former Candy Stripe, Patrick McClean, who was a substitute for Waterford last weekend, was handed his debut for Sligo against his hometown team.

It was a shaky start from the visitors and ex-Finn Harps winger, Caolan McAleer, twice had chances to give the Bit O'Red the lead in the opening three minutes.

From a long punt upfield Gerard Doherty came out quickly to close down the ball but it fell to McAleer on the edge of the area and his first time shot went the wrong side of the post,

Sixty seconds later Armin Aganovic gifted possession to Sligo and when Ally Roy sent a dangerous cross to towards the six yard box from the left wing the ball skimmed the head of McAleer who should've done better.

Doherty had to be alert again on 16 minutes when a long ball from Callan-McFadden was headed towards his own goal by McDermott who tracked back but the City skipper showed great reflexes to flick it away from goal.

Derry settled into the game and came closest to taking the lead on 18 minutes when McDermott found Ronan Curtis on the right wing with a superb pass with the top of his right boot. Curtis found the overlapping Ben Doherty who pulled it back to Ronan Hale but the striker's deflected shot was parried clear by Sligo debutante, former Chelsea keeper, Mitchell Beeney.

Derry were under pressure from a succession of corners and when Darren Cole's miscued clearance fell to McAleer on the left of the box, the winger attempted to curl it into the far corner but it went high and wide.

From an excellent passing move from Derry they almost broke the deadlock on 34 minutes as Aaron McEneff played into the feet of Ronan Hale who took a touch before his low strike was turned behind by Beeney.

Sligo opened up the Derry defence seven minutes before the break when Adam Morgan played Rhy McCabe through the middle but Doherty produced a terrific save to push it around the post.

Rory Patterson went down inside the Sligo penalty area as half-time approached but referee, Paul McLaughlin correctly waved 'play on'.

The teams remained scoreless at the interval but it was a frenetic first half with chances at both ends,

Neither side could take control of the ball at the start of the second half but Sligo had the best of the early chances.

Gary Boylan did well to get away from Curtis beside the right corner flag before running towards goal and drilling his cross towards the back post, It eventually found its way to McClean but Rory Hale bravely threw his body on the line to block the Derry man's shot.

Doherty came to his side's rescue with a stunning one handed save to turn David Cawley's 25 yard strike over the bar.

However, from the resultant corner the ball was played low across the face of goal and fell to Morgan at the back post who somehow turned the ball into the net.

Sligo added a second on 82 minutes as Roy ran through the middle of the Derry defence and finished expertly across Doherty and into the corner.

Curtis capitalised on a mistake by Seamus Sharkey in the final 60 seconds of normal time as he cut inside and finished well on his right foot.

With four additional minutes Cole had a header on target from a corner but it went straight into the hands of Beeney as City slumped to defeat.

Sligo Rovers - M. Beeney: K. Callan-McFadden, G. Boylan, S. Sharkey, P. McClean; C. McAleer ( C. Roddan 87), R. McCabe, A. Roy, D. Cawley; E. Pincelli; A. Morgan (G. Moorhouse 84); Subs Not Used - M. Schlingermann, C. Waters, A. Wixted, J. Keaney, L. Morrison.

Derry City - G. Doherty; C. McDermott (J. McDonagh 61), A. Aganovic, D. Cole, B. Doherty; Rory Hale (E. Toal 78), A. McEneff, N. Low, R. Curtis; R. Patterson, R. Hale; Subs Not Used - E. Grimes, D. Kayode, E. Tweed, C. Turner, N. Logue,.

Referee - Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).