'Optimistic' Ruaidhrí Higgins not about to hit the panic button as Derry City enter squeaky bum time

Pat Hoban headed in his 15th goal of the season in all competitions just after the hour mark to clinch a precious point against Bohs after Archie Meekinson put the visitors ahead midway through the first half.

The FAI Cup finalists had enough chances to win the match and stamp their authority on what has developed into a compelling title race but Paul McMullan had an effort cleared off the line by Jordan Flores before later striking the post with the goal at his mercy while Michael Duffy also rattled the crossbar from a free-kick.

That's now one league win from their last eight but Higgins claimed he's 'optimistic' about his side's title run-in and stated 'there's always an opportunity around the corner' after a disappointment.

And while the Brandywell boss insists Monday night's visit of sixth placed Sligo Rovers - who could move to within a single point of Derry with a win - isn't a must win, those opportunities for redemption are beginning to run out with just four games to go.

Asked if there was a sense of nervousness creeping into the Brandywell dressing room with so much at stake, Higgins said his players aren't getting caught up in the outside noise.

"Listen, it's natural in football (to be nervous) but bar a 15 or 20 minute period in the game I didn't see an edginess about us or a panic about us," he said.

"When Bohs got a foothold in the game we didn't adjust the way we should have. And during that period we got punished and it was a tough one to take because we started the game so well.

"We didn't show that nervousness in the second half. We played on the frontfoot and created chance after chance. With a bit of luck we would've left with three points.

"We're very much about the next game. We're in a world now where every Tom, Dick and Harry can fire anything out there and it grows legs. It's important not to get caught up in that. We know what we're doing.

"We have good players, good staff and we trust what we're doing. Hopefully it's good enough come the end of the season. We're very driven by the next game and what we can do to win the next game and that's all that's in my mind at this moment in time."

There's little room for error now for the Candystripes who must travel to Dundalk and St Patrick's Athletic before entertaining rivals Shelbourne on the final day.

Five-in-a-row seeking Rovers are coming strong while Shels boast a three point lead on the summit but Higgins doesn't believe his team will be out of the race if they don't pick up maximum points in Monday's RTE televised clash.

"Of course we want to win. If we win we go top of the table. If we don't win, are we out of it? No. We're not. But all our intentions will be to win the game. If we can play like we did for large parts of the game tonight we give ourselves a good chance.

"We will prepare for a massive game. Sligo hace had a brilliant season, absolutely brilliant season. We just have to try and focus on the positives from tonight and rectify what we didn't do so well and try and come up with a really good performance on Monday to get three points on the board."