It could take 'one big night' for Derry City to turn it around says Ciaran Kilduff

Dundalk twice clawed back from a deficit at Oriel Park to earn a second 2-2 draw this season with the Candy Stripes, who have now gone SEVEN matches without a win as pressure mounts.

Ronan Teahan's 80th minute header sealed a point but Kilduff felt it was two points dropped, given the Lilywhites' dominance in the second half. They conceded a 98th-minute penalty to Derry who salvaged a point at Brandywell back in February, making it another frustrating night for the Dundalk boss.

"I don't like bemoaning the same thing but it's deja vu," said Kilduff who has guided Dundalk to a seven match unbeaten run. "We felt a little bit annoyed conceding with the last kick of the game up at the Brandywell to draw 2-2. There's a different type of sting here when you score late and feel you just ran out of time a little bit.

"I thought the second half we dominated the game and at one stage I was wondering would it ever go in, we had a lot of huge chances. In fairness to Derry they were resolute and defended. Especially when James [McClean] got sent off for Derry we had the extra player but we just ran out of time."

When asked about Derry's progression as a team since that night at Brandywell earlier in the season, Kilduff felt they looked like a team struggling for form.

"I think there's an element of they're missing players there tonight but then again we're missing Daryl Horgan and Vinnie Leonard and some big players for us too. You can see they are a team, I'm not saying lacking confidence, but not on a good run.

"We went through periods like that. I went through periods like that as a player when it's hard and you probably just need a big night or a big win to get them out of it. They probably felt they were close to it tonight considering the time we scored the equaliser late on.

"It's well documented that Derry probably feel and should be doing better than they are but things can change quickly in football. I can't say I worry about the opposition too much to be honest, I'm busy with my Dundalk stuff but good runs and bad runs are all part of it and you just have to hope you get yourself out of it as quickly as you can and hopefully we don't get sucked into them."

Last year's First Division champions have been in impressive form and are the top scorers so far with 20 goals from their opening 11 games.

"We've had a good week in terms of picking up seven points from nine. We do feel we have dropped points tonight. Statistically and in almost every stat we were superior bar the one that really matters and that's testament to Derry.

"Up there [at Brandywell] we played a different way and Derry were statistically better than us and we got a point even though they scored late. It was overall disappointing that we dropped two points.

"That could be us in a couple of weeks," he said of Derry's form. "Everyone goes through peaks and troughs. We've approached every game to win it. We don't celebrate a draw. That group is very determined to win games. After 2-2 we never thought about sitting off.

"Even if they got the third tonight it would've been about getting a fourth. We play on the edge a bit and that's why we are the highest scoring team in the division. Tonight to concede from a throw-in and a free-kick - that hurts.

"It's one of those nights where we're scratching our heads and angry we didn't win the game. We showed a lot of good traits too. The objective was to win the game bit we've taken seven points from games against Derry, St Pat's and Shelbourne - all massive clubs so we'll take that."