Derry City 3-1 Longford Town

Derry City recorded their second win in five games when ending Longford's three match unbeaten run at a wet Brandywell last night, thanks to a superb second half showing.

And while the Midlanders will have been happy with the scoreline at the break, the home side finally got to grips with the match and, in truth, could have won by more.

After what had been an instantly forgettable first half, neither side went close to breaking the deadlock, but the game exploded into life in the second period.

Longford opened brightly after the break and within seconds they created their best chance of the match but Dave Mooney failed to make contact with a Dessie Baker cross.

It was the home side who broke the deadlock in the 48th minute. Kevin McHugh broke from the centre of the park and when he drew two defenders, the local hitman intelligently played the ball into the path of his front-line partner, Sammy Morrow, who made no mistake with a low drive.

Longford's Pat Sullivan crashed a 40 yards free-kick off the Derry crossbar in the 55th minute but the home side really should have doubled their lead one minute later.

Paddy McCourt produced the perfect pass to play Kevin Deery in behind the visiting defence, but in the one-on-one situation, the winger struck the post when he really should have found the net.

However, Derry did eventually double their lead in the 77th minute when the lively McHugh raced onto an incisive Barry Molloy through ball, the striker diving an angled shot to the net.

But just as the home crowd were about to celebrate a much longed for home victory, Longford gained a controversial lifeline in the 80th minute when Peter Hutton was adjudged to have brought down Dave Mooney inside the penalty area and referee, Pat Whelan, immediately pointed to the spot.

Mooney dusted himself down to send Pat Jennings the wrong way from the spot.

However, with three minutes remaining Derry finally killed the game off when McCourt produced another superb pass to set Ciaran Martyn free and he gleefully curled the ball round the advancing Kelly.

Derry City: Jennings; McCallion, Oman, Hutton, McChrystal; Deery (Brennan, 72 mins.), Martyn, Molloy, McCourt; Morrow (Farren, 89 mins.), McHugh.

Longford Town: Kelly; Sullivan (Ryan, 90 mins.), Brennan, Doherty, Prunty; Reilly (Duffy, 76 mins.), Deegan (James, 70 mins.), Freeman, Martin; Mooney, Baker

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).