MARK Farren got Derry City's new season off to a winning start last night, but the striker will feel he really should have bagged a hat-trick against a youthful and newlook Drogheda United.

Having given his side the perfect start, Farren missed a series of gilt-edged opportunities as Derry dominated the opening stages but then seemed to lose interest in the proceedings.

Drogheda's tactic of flooding the midfield area frustrated the home side who huffed and puffed for lengthy period despite dominating the ball.

Farren’s opening strike put Derry into pole position when Sammy Morrow produced an incisive through ball which saw the striker side-step keeper, Steve Williams.

And Derry went so close to scoring again but Williams got down well to parry a low Farren shot wide of his upright in the 15th minute.

In the 36th minute the unlucky Farren really should have ended this match as a contest. Thomas Stewart broke on the left and his low cross saw the striker get his legs in a tangle when it looked easier to score from close range.

Derry continued to dominate the ball but failed to seriously threaten the Drogheda goal until the 61st minute when a Stewart snapshot  forced Williams into a top drawer save, the keeper pushing the effort over his crossbar.

In the 72nd minute Derry created another superb chance when Stewart was sent clear by a long Clive Delaney ball but when he found Farren, the striker lashed the ball high over the crossbar when he should have done better.

Five minutes later a speculative cross from the right by Gareth McGlynn had Williams back-peddling and when the ball crashed off the upright and broke to Farren, the striker again drove it over the bar.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure and while Drogheda did create the odd threatening moment, Derry’s talisman, Peter Hutton, spared his side’s blushes on more than one occasion

Derry City – Doherty; O’Brien, Hutton, Delaney, Gray;  McGlynn, Molloy, Higgins, Stewart; Morrow, Farren (Scullion, 85).

Drogheda United – Williams; M. Clarke, Kenna, McNally, R. Clarke (Farrell, 80); Duffy, Whelan, Shiels, Duggan, Kelly (O’Connor, 62.; Martin.

Referee – Mr. D. Hancock (Dublin).