Derry City were in seventh heaven as they gave the watching Gretna scouts something to think about after a 3-2 victory over Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Ground tonight.
Kevin McHugh’s double will send City to Scotland for UEFA Cup action next week in high spirits as they recorded a seventh straight win in all competitions.
Yet the Seagulls rallied and produced a fine comeback with two second- half goals.
The Candystripes got off to a dream start and took a tenth-minute lead.
Darren Kelly’s run wasn’t checked from Ruaidhri Higgins’ free kick. Kelly headed across goal were McHugh stopped to head in from four yards past debut keeper Gary Rogers.
City made it 2-0 midway through the first period when David Forde’s booming free-kick was helped on by Stephen O’Flynn. And ex-Finn Harps striker McHugh nipped between two defenders to guide a 12-yard shot into the far corner.
It got even better for Derry in stoppage-time. Full-back Shaun Holmes - making his debut after a move from Glentoran - whipped in a left-wing cross. McHugh gathered and set-up Ciaran Martyn to rifle a stunning 20-yard half-volley into the roof of the net.
But Wanderers came out and reduced their deficit within three minutes of the restart through Andrei Georgescu’s third effort in as many starts.
Stephen Fox’s ball into the box saw the Romanian flick past Oman before drilling a ten-yard volley beyond Forde.
Georgescu’s trickery ensured a nervous ending for Derry as he jinked past two players near the end-line and sub Colm James arrived to slide the ball in at the back post.
