Paul Dunphy snatched a dramatic injury-time equaliser for Bray Wanderers in their battle against relegation.
The substitute pounced to deny Derry claimed their first FAI eircom League of Ireland away win in six months.
Ronan Ivory’s long free into the penalty area went loose. Paul Caffrey’s shot was blocked but fell to fellow substitute Dunphy. The former Bohs striker drilled low through a crowded box from 15-yards and the ball crept in at the unsighted Pat Jennings’ near post.
Gareth McGlynn’s first-half effort had looked like giving the League Cup champions victory at the Carlisle Grounds.
The Candystripes went in front on 26 minutes minutes. Ruaidhri Higgins rolled a corner back to Kevin Deery to whip in a cross into the box off the right flank. McGlynn burst in and got a slight deflection taking the ball into the far corner of the net.
City almost scored a second 90 seconds later.
Steve Williams picked up a Ray Kenny back-pass. Ten-yards out, Kevin McHugh’s shot was somehow blocked on the line by Clive Delaney.
Without a win in their last four top-flight fixtures, Derry bossed the game after the restart without creating much. But playing their third game in seven days seemed to take its toll on John Robertson’s men.
The Seagulls went close on 67 minutes when Stephen Fox blasted a 16-yard half volley over the bar after Clive Delaney challenged for Alan Cawley’s corner.
Four minutes later, Jennings chose to punch clear Cawley’s 20-yard curling dead-ball.
Wanderers continued to attack, with sub Gary McCabe sending a glancing header across the face of goal off a corner.
Jennings brought off an 81st minute finger-tip save on to the top of the bar from Cawley’s cheeky lob.
From the resulting corner, McCabe sent a close-range header wide.
Bray Wanderers: Williams, Ivory, Delaney, Kenny, Cronin; O’Shea (McCabe 65 mins), Cawley, Duggan (Caffrey 87 mins), Kavanagh; Fox, Georgescu (Dunphy 39 mins).
Derry City: Jennings; McCallion, Hutton, Brennan; McCafferty, Deery, Molloy, Martyn, Higgins; McHugh, McGlynn.
