Frustration continues for Derry City manager Declan Devine as he watches his side draw 1-1 at home against Drogheda
The Candystripes did come from behind against Drogheda United to earn their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw.
But they couldn’t find a winner at the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium.
The result City firmly rooted to the bottom of the table after five games.
“There’s certainly no relief but there’s frustration that we didn’t start the second half the way we had finished the first,” said Devine.
“There is frustration that we’ve got to go a goal behind before we getting cracking again.
“Towards the end of the first half we played some really good football. We’ve got some technical players here.
“Second half I was disappointed that we didn’t lay enough on them in the final third. Our approach play wasn’t as good as it had been in the first half.
“Drogheda worked hard; it’s tough playing them and they deserve huge credit but we’ve got to be better with and without the ball.”
Winger James Brown gave Drogs the lead, but it was cancelled out by Ronan Boyce when he headed home from close range shortly before half time.
The nature of the visitor’s goal was a particularly annoying element for Devine.
“The goal we’ve given away was a disappointing goal,” he admitted.
“The players did show tremendous character to get a foothold in the game after going that goal down. We’ve got to be a wee bit more creative than we were in the second half.
“We’ve got to get more penetration, and we just didn’t inject pace or tempo after the break.”
The first chance either side created came on 18 minutes as a superb 20-yard pass over the top by Will Patching released Will Fitzgerald, who after getting in behind the Drogs defence, saw his tame header easily gathered by Colin McCabe.
Minutes later the visitors took the lead as Derry failed to clear the lines and although Cameron McJannet did well to block Darragh Markey’s close range strike, the rebound was blasted home by Brown.
Ronan Boyce rises high to level the score against Drogheda
Just after the hour mark Brown should have restored Drogheda’s lead when he got in behind the Derry defence, but his side footed strike was well saved by Nathan Gartside.
Declan Devine went a double change on 65 minutes with David Parkhouse and Joe Thomson replacing James Akintunde and Brendan Barr and the changes seemed to work as the home side started to get more on top.
Patching went close minutes later when he showed some neat skill on the edge of the box, but his curling left footed strike was deflected over by defender Daniel O’Reilly.
Three minutes from time that man Brown was at the heart of things again, but his stinging effort, which had Gartside beaten, hit the side netting.
Derry City: Nathan Gartside, Ronan Boyce, Eoin Toal, Cameron McJannet, Ciaran Coll; Jack Malone, Will Patching, Brendan Barr, Daniel Lafferty; Will Fitzgerald, James Akintunde.
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe, James Brown, Daniel O’Reilly, Dane Massey, Hugh Douglas (Jack Tuite HT), Darragh Markey (Luke Heeney 80), Gary Deegan, Chris Lyons (Jordan Adeyemo 77), Jake Hyland, Mark Doyle, Ronan Murray (Brandon Bermingham (65).
Referee: Mr Neil Doyle (Dublin).
Tags: