'I was sick as a pig looking at the table' - says Sligo boss Liam Buckley after Derry City victory

Bottom of the table, pointless and with just 15 games left going into Friday night's match at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Buckley was determined to get the Bit O'Red's season up and running at the fifth attempt.

And while he didn't want to get carried away ahead of consecutive home games against Waterford and Shelbourne, the Dubliner couldn't hide his delight as his side comfortably left Foyleside with their first win of the campaign.

"It's an important win for us bearing in mind the league table," he said. "The start of the season we had was a bit of a disaster from where we were at, although we were a little bit unfortunate between injuries and performances and whatever.

"That said, it was a really good effort tonight. The lads worked extremely hard and it's a great victory up here. There's not too many teams win up here. Derry have a good record up here so from that end of it, it's been brilliant.

"We've just got to get a few more results to take us up the table."

A first half header from Kyle McFadden and a Ronan Coughlan penalty six minutes into the second period handed Sligo the win but it was an assured performance from Buckley's troops who looked sharper and physically stronger than Derry on the night.

"We limited them to very little in front of Ed (McGinty) our goalkeeper. We didn't have a huge amount ourselves, we had a few bits and pieces. Our general play in patches was very good. There's improvement in the group and I can't compliment them enough with the effort they put in.

"For the last four months we've been bottom of the table and I'm sure they were like myself, sick as a pig in relation to looking at it. "Bearing in mind the expectation we have within the group as we have a lot of good players as well. We just picked up one result. We've got to work hard again on Tuesday and hard again on Saturday and see where we go from there."

Derry returned to collective training on June 8th, three weeks before Sligo were permitted to get back on the training pitch and so was Buckley surprised at how the game was played out.

"We've had a five week pre-seaosn. We've signed five foreign lads who came in for four weeks. They had to isolate for two weeks so we basically had them for the last two weeks.

"You look at some of the other teams who have had eight weeks. That said, our guys have worked extremely hard in the off season and that's why they've come back in really good condition."

Buckley had little sympathy for Derry boss, Declan Devine who had to reshuffle his side when discovering new signings, Ibrahim Meite, Adam Hammill, Jake Dunwoody and James Akintunde were ineligible as they had to quarantine for a 14 day period.

As Sligo were without last season's golden boot winner, Junior Ogedie-Uzokwe for the same reasons, Buckley said it was 'unfortunate'.

"It's unfortunate for Declan and myself. He's had a few lads he's just signed in but we all have to abide by the rules and that's it!

"We have Junior and we have to wait to get him in bearing in mind his isolation and it's the proper thing to do. It's unfortunate for Declan too. There's no doubt he's looking forward to getting his new lads in too and that will help reinvigorate the group and all that sort of stuff.

"He will look at tonight and pick some positives out of the performance from his end of it but I've no doubt they will pick up their fair share of points here."

There was crowd noise played on the stadium tannoy system during the game but Buckley felt it was a poor substitute for the real thing.

"It's different. It's not the same. I'll be honest with you. You can't beat the banter with the crowd and all that sort of stuff that goes with it. Look, it is what it is. We've got 14 games like this so we better get used to it."