Will Patching's brace sends Derry City top of the table

WILL PATCHING was hailed the hero on Foyleside as his spectacular brace earned Derry City a precious victory over St Patrick's Athletic to knock the Dubliners off their perch.

Patching fired the Candystripes into a fourth minute lead with a sublime curling effort into the far corner of the net to stun Tim Clancy's troops in front of a packed Brandywell.

It took another stunning strike from Saints defender Tom Grivosti to level the game two minutes into the second half as the visitors fought their way back into the contest.

However, ex-Man City Academy star Patching netted a dramatic 93rd minute winner from 25 yards to clinch a win which took Derry top of the table going into the international break.

It was City's fourth win of the season as they maintained their incredible unbeaten start to the campaign which includes wins over Shamrock Rovers and Pat's whose three game winning run came to an end,

Derry got off to the perfect start as Patching had time to take a touch onto his right foot before curling into the far corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring on four minutes.

Sixty seconds later the Brandywell supporters lit the torches on their phones to mark the fifth anniversary of the club's former captain Ryan McBride who wore the No. 5 shirt with such distinction before his sudden passing in March 2017.

The Saints responded well and on six minutes Billy King tested the reflexes of City keeper Brian Maher but the Ireland U21 international parried it clear.

Derry came close to adding a second on 20 minutes when Anto Breslin's headed clearance fell to Boyce whose first time strike from 18 yards was palmed over the crossbar acrobatically by Joseph Anang.

Darragh Burns chased onto a long ball through the middle which caught out the Derry defence on the half hour mark and when Maher raced off his line the City keeper missed the ball but Shane McEleney was on hand to clear the danger.

King was the dangerman for the visitors and from Jack Scott's cross from the right, the Scottish forward sent a glancing header narrowly over the crossbar on 34 minutes.

Danny Lafferty's low drive towards the near post from an acute angle was turned behind by Anang as Derry finished the half strongly.

Patching played McGonigle in behind the Saints defence in the final minute of the first half but the striker's low strike clipped the foot of the post and went behind.

St Pat's levelled the game two minutes into the second half courtesy of a sublime curling strike from the edge of the box from Grivosti which nestled into the top corner.

The visitors were enjoying plenty of possession and the impressive Forester came close to adding a second but rifled his shot just over the bar on the hour mark.

City substitute Brandon Kavanagh sent an inviting cross towards the six yards box but Akintunde couldn't get a touch and it bounced just wide of the far post with Anang scrambling to cover.

Kavanagh played a lovely pass to find the run of Lafferty who was overlapping on the left wing but with just the keeper to beat at the near post the ex-Sheffield United man blasted his shot off Anang who deflected the ball behind off the post.

Grivosti tried his luck from distance as the space opened up and Maher miscued his fisted clearance which went behind for a corner.

McGinigle fired wide of the target after latching onto Ronan Boyce's pass and McJannet's downward header from a Patching corner was gathered at the second attempt by the Saints keeper.

Five minutes added time were signalled by the fourth official and in the 93rd minute Patching found the bottom corner of the net with a blistering drive from 25 yards to win all three points with his third of the season.

Derry City: B. Maher: S. McEleney, E. Toal, C. McJannet; R. Boyce, C. Dummigan, J. Thomson (B. Kavanagh 58), W. Patching, D. Lafferty; J. Akintunde (E. McLaughlin 73), J. McGonigle: Subs Not Used - N. Gartside, C. Coll, G. Storey, J. Malone, C. Porter, T. Kone-Doherty, L. Mullan.

St Pat's: J. Anang; J. Scott, J. Redmond, T. Grivosti, A. Breslin; D. Burns (J. Abankwah 82), C. Forester, A. O'Reilly, M. Doyle (R. Coughlan 88); B. King (T.Owolabi 79), E. Doyle; Subs Not Used - D. Odumosu, J.McClelland, S. Curtis, K. Corbally, D. Lipsiuc, A.Murphy.

Referee - Damien McGraith.