In demand James McClean provided both assists as Derry came alive in the second half to extend their unbeaten run to nine games to move back up to third place in the table.

 

Derry are mulling over a formal bid for left winger McClean from Peterborough United, believed to be in the region of €300,000 with add ons.

And after a quiet opening 45 minutes, McClean sprung to life to win this game for Derry inside six minutes.

McClean turned Bray right-back Shane O’Connor inside out on 67 minutes to whip over a super cross to the far post for former Wanderer Eamon Zayed to arrive and score with a diving header for his 17th of the season.

McClean then provided the perfectly flighted corner from the right for left-back Danny Lafferty to head home at the back post.

Bray rallied late on with John Mulroy heading home a Dan McGuinness corner on 91 minutes.

But Derry might have extended their winning margin within a minute when substitute Ruairi Harkin brought a fine save from Matt Gregg.

Despite the absence of suspended captain and key midfielder, Gary Dempsey, and topscorer Conor Murphy, who is away with the Ireland under-19s, Bray took the game to in-form Derry from the off.

And it was Dempsey’s replacement in central midfield, Chris Shields, who should have given Pat Devlin’s side the perfect start with the lead goal in just the second minute.

Daire Doyle got space on the right to whip over a good cross and with the marking negligible, Shields arrived to get in a firm head which brought a point-blank parry save from Ger Doherty.

Bray, whose win at UCD last week ended a run of four straight defeats, were well up for this and Danny O’Connor had a shot deflected narrowly off target for their first corner on 13 minutes.
 
Derry gradually played their way into it with the helped of a couple of free-kick from Gareth McGlynn the second flashing just wide with the slightest of flicks fro Stewart Greacen.

McClean, clattered by Shields early on, was slow to get into the game, but when he did for the first time on 28 minutes his cross gifted Derry they first real opening. McGlynn failed to take it, blazing over the top from ten yards out.

The visitors were guilty of another bad miss on the blow of the break. Zayed’s flick gave strike partner Patrick McEleney an opening, but the youngster rushed his shot which way off target.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; S O’Connor, Mitchell, Prendergast, Houston; Doyle (McGuinness 78), D O’Connor (G Kelly 72), Shields, Massey (J Kelly 61); Mulroy, O’Neill.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; S McEleney, McBride, Greacen, Lafferty; McGlynn, Molloy, Higgins (Harkin 80), McClean; P McEleney (McLaughlin 89), Zayed.

REFEREE: Dave McKeon (Dublin).