Derry City's 'next step is to become winners" says Ruaidhri Higgins who all buts concedes defeat in title race

​The Derry City boss refrained from throwing in the towel but admitted catching leaders Shamrock Rovers - who need just SIX points from their remaining four games to guarantee a fourth title in a row - 'might be a step too far' after the Candy Stripes were held scoreless by Drogheda United at Weavers Park on Friday night.

Ultimately Derry needed to win against the Boynesiders to extend the title race into the final few weeks of the season but a frustratingly slow start, some poor finishing and an impressive goalkeeping display from 17 year-old Ireland U19 international Andrew Wogan put paid to that.

Instead, Drogheda secured the point which mathematically guaranteed their survival in the division and while it remains possible Derry can still finish as champions, it would take a collapse of epic proportions for Rovers to be hauled back with four games to go.

After the match Higgins all but conceded defeat in the title race, admitting it was now 'unlikely'.

Friday night was another opportunity to close the gap on Rovers wasted and Higgins reckons his team might just lack that 'x-factor' needed to win championships.

It's his second full season as Derry manager and while he's made incredible progress, the Limavady man added that no team has a 'God-given right to go and win league titles'.

"It's been a strange year and you could look back on loads of games but it's important not to lose sight of how far we've come," he said.

"We're a few years into this and you look at Rovers when they were chasing down Dundalk. They won the league in their fourth season together.

"Cork when they were chasing down Dundalk, likewise the fourth season. Things just don't happen overnight.

"There's no God-given right to go and win league titles. We're getting more experience and I feel we're improving. We just need a wee bit of X-factor at times when we're dominating games to go and put them away.

"We have come a long way in a few years but the next step is to become winners. It looks unlikely that it's going to be this year but I do believe we will get there."

Derry will be looking over their shoulders at St Patrick's Athletic now rather than looking upwards as the FAI Cup finalists are just two points behind with a game in hand.

Nothing develops a winning mentality quite like winning itself and Derry must finish the season strongly with games against Shelbourne (h), Cork City (a) and St Pat's (h) determining where they finish in the league standings.

That final game against the Inchicore men could prove a defining one.

"There's loads to play for," he insisted. "We have a fortnight now to get our heads ready for Shelbourne who have had an absolutely fantastic season and we'll get ourselves ready for that one.

"I think we'll get there. This season (title) might be slightly out of reach at this stage. It's not mathematically impossible but it looks out of reach.

"I truly believe we aren't far away. No one hands you anything, you have to go and earn it but I think if we keep going and keep moving forward that more chances will come."

The 6-0 hammering of UCD gave Derry renewed optimism, particularly given the Drogheda game offered the chance to close to within two points of the league leaders.

However, it proved yet another case of being unable to capitalise on their dominance as they will look back on this one and games against Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers in recent weeks with regret.

"It's frustrating in a lot of different ways," added Higgins. "The first 45 minutes we never showed any intensity in our play; any drive to go and open the door.

"It was a poor first half showing from ourselves and you can't give up 45 minutes of football in this league because it gives the opposition something to hang on to.

"The second 45 minutes we were more like ourselves, we created more chances and should've won the game.

"If you're going off the second half we should've been more clinical. It's been one too many times this season where we've had dominant periods in games when we've been in the ascendancy and haven't been able to put the game away.

"You have to convert that into scoring goals and one too many times we haven't been able to do that and that's let us down.

"We don't have a game now for a couple of weeks and we have to get over this and review it and make sure we don't leave 45 minutes of football behind us again and prepare for Shelbourne.

"We kept the ball alright and looked nice at times but you have to be more ruthless and take the game away from your opponents and we didn’t do that.

“We were much better in the second half, created more opportunities and should've won the game but we weren't clinical enough. "

The travelling fans left frustrated and with their fading hopes of bridging that 26 years gap dashed but despite falling short for a second successive season, Higgins remains optimistic.

"Our supporters have been brilliant. Obviously extremely frustrated we haven't gone up the road with three points. It might be a step too far this year but I truly believe we will get there.”