Bray Wanderers’ woes continue with Derry City defeat

Derry City 2 Bray Wanderers 0

Bray Wanderers’ problems continued at the Brandywell on Sunday - Harry Kenny’s side clearly struggling against a Derry City side who easily could have won by a lot more.

And while the result sees Bray confined to the lower reaches of the table, the win consolidates Derry’s third position in the Premier Division table.

With Bray struggling to make any impression in the final third during the opening period, this game was controlled by the home lot and they could have ended this fixture as a contest at the break.

Derry broke the deadlock in the seventh minute thanks to a superb defence splitting pass from man of the match, Aaron McEneff.

Nathan Boyle burst into the penalty and having held off the challenge of a defender, his shot crashed off the upright before the alert Josh Daniels guided the rebound home for his second goal in six days.

And with Derry totally in control, it came as no surprise when they doubled their lead in the 20th minute.

On that occasion, Boyle challenged ’keeper Peter Cherrie in a race for possession and when the ball broke free, Boyle guided it into the net for the easiest of goals.

Boyle could have added to his tally before the break while Lukas Schubert and Keith Ward also wasted clear-cut scoring chances.

After the break Derry continued to boss the ball with McEneff failing to hit the target after a fluent passing movement. Full-back Niclas Vemmelund also went close with a shot on the turn after Shubert has set him up.

Bray won their first corner in the 64th minute and when Ryan Brennan floated the ball into the danger area, substitute Andrew Lewis got his head to the ball before Ger Doherty pulled off a superb save.

The county Wicklow side began to grow in confidence and a superb cross from Dylan Connolly in the 74th minute was headed wide by Robbie Creevy when he really should have done better.

At the other end, Daniels really should have ended the game as a contest in the 76th minute but his low volley following Boyle’s deep cross screamed wide of the target.

Derry City - Doherty; Vemmelund, McBride, Barry,Jarvis; McCormack, McEneff; Schubert, Ward (Holden, 81), Daniels (R. Doherty, 87); Boyle (Allan, 81).

Bray Wanderers - Cherrie; Harding, McNally, Kenna; McDonagh (Pender, h/t), Salmon, Creevy, Connolly, Marks (Douglas, 67); Brennan, Kelly (Lewis, 62).

Referee - P. McLaughlin (Monaghan).