DERRY CITY may have returned to the summit of the Premier Division table on goal difference last night, but they found UCD a tough nut to crack at the Brandywell.

UCD had held a 1-0 lead for 71 minutes before Derry finally broke their resistance with a goal from Kevin Deery, before super sub David McDaid side-footed the winner home with eight minutes remaining.

Martin Russell's youngsters stunned the big Brandywell crowd when they broke the deadlock in the 17th minute.

And it was a superb move which fashioned that goal, the ball accurately passed through four players before striker, Graham Rusk, drove it home to stun the home lot.

But that strike served only to spark life into the "Candy Stripes" with Ruaidhri Higgins, Patrick McEleney and Stewart Greacen all going close to leveling matters within the space of 10 minutes.

Derry’s Danny Lafferty went agonizingly close to equalising in the 31st minute, his low shot shaving the outside of the UCD upright.

The home side continued to press with Higgins heading wide when well placed but UCD held onto their slender lead at the break.

Derry opted to change to a 4-4-2 system after the break and that decision certainly changed the flow of the game, the home much more in control.

And Gareth McGlynn also entered the fray at the break, the winger returning after a six weeks injury lay-off.

But UCD keeper, Gerard Barron, certainly earned his corn when producing two top class saves during the early stages of the second period.

On the first occasion he dived full stretch to parry a Patrick McEleney shot wide of his post and minutes later he dived low to stop Kevin Deery’s effort from just inside the box.

McEleney went close again in the 68th m inute his chip over the advancing keeper narrowly missing the target as Derry owned the ball.

But the sustained pressure finally paid off in the 70th minute when Barry Molloy fed Eamon Zayed and when he laid the ball back into the path of Deery, the captain finished with aplomb.

However, eight minutes from the end, Derry pulled the game out of the fire and it was substitute, David McDaid, who netted the vital strike having entered the fray minutes earlier.

Barry Molloy worked his way to the by-line and his low centre was side footed home by the young striker from close range.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; McCallion (McCallion h-t), S McEleney, Greacen, Lafferty; Deery, Molloy, Higgins, McLaughlin; P McEleney, Zayed.

UCD: Barron; Douglas, D O’Connor, Boyle, Russell; Marshall (Lloyd 71), Creevy, Corry, P O’Connor; Rusk (Belhout h-t).

REFEREE: D. Tomney (Dublin).