Ruaidhri Higgins says home form must improve if Derry City are to challenge for title

​The Candy Stripes' home form at the start of last season was poor as they registered just two wins from their opening seven at Brandywell, losing to tonight's opponents Drogheda (1-0), Bohemians (1-0) and Shamrock Rovers (2-0) during that period.Derry won just 50 per cent of their home matches last term and dropped a total of 21 points from matches at the Lone Moor Road venue - a statistic Higgins knows must simply be improved on if they're to stop five-in-a-row seeking Rovers in their tracks.The arrival of Pat Hoban and Daniel Kelly from Dundalk in the close season has increased the number of League of Ireland title winners in the Derry dressing room to five and so Higgins knows his squad are in the best position to challenge since he took the reins in April 2021."We have to feel like we can win the title," he insisted. "We've had two second place finishes. We've won a cup and had a good run in Europe. The natural progression is if we can take the next step. There's 36 games. It's easier said than done but we need to find a level of consistency and a real hunger and even in games when we don't play well we need to find a way of winning, That's what the real top teams do."Previously there were too many times when we played really well and didn't win the game. That can't happen. We need to be more clinical and ruthless and these are areas we've spoken about and I think we're ready to go."That appetite for silverware amongst the fanbase has grown tenfold with just one FAI Cup and one League Cup win in the last 12 years. That lack of ruthlessness in front of goal was one of their downfalls - a problem Higgins hopes he's solved with the two new additions.And as Drogheda are the first to visit Brandywell this year, Higgins knows a run of home wins is crucial.“I know our home form wasn’t brilliant but conceding eight goals at home is an outstanding record. Our away record two years in a row has been the best in the league and I did feel there was a switch from about the mid-season onwards where we scored more goals here and won more games. Hopefully we can carry that into this season.”"It's stuff we've touched on to be honest with you. Early in the season here last year we dropped too many points at home. Our home form definitely improved from the summer onwards but if you're realistic about doing anything then you have to be dominant at home and put teams away here. It's something we're all conscious of and something we really want to ram home and try to make home advantage count a bit more than what we've done."

While Drogheda have moved towards full-time football since the takeover from American sports investment fund Trivela Group and recruited shrewdly, the Boynesiders will be expected to deploy a low block for much of tonight's fixture. Higgins is ready for every eventuality.

"If teams want to defend deep then we can deliver crosses. If teams want to press us high then we have people who can run beyond so I think there's good variety in our attacking options now.

"Again, talk is cheap and I can stand here and say whatever I want to say but we have to go and deliver and hopefully we start with a positive performance and result on Friday.

"It's something we have to learn from. From the bottom five teams in the league we took 40 points from a possible 60 which you would like that to be a bit more.

" I think this year more than any you can see the two promoted teams are really good sides as well so it will be an extremely competitive league but our home form will be crucial and we want to get off to a good start on Friday night.”