Bray Wanderers and Derry City had to settle for a share of the spoils in a 0-0 draw at The Carlisle Ground .
Despite both teams creating numerous chances in the game, neither could find a winner.
David McDaid and Ruaidhri Higgins had Derry’s best chances but Bray’s defensive unit stood firm.
For Bray John Mulroy and substitute Ismahil Akinade has opportunities but they couldn’t find a way past Ger Doherty.
Bray Wanderers had a great chance to open the scoring after just two minutes. Sean Houston drove through the Derry City defence but saw his shot blocked, the rebound fell to Kieran Marty Waters but his strike went over the crossbar.
The home side had another great chance six minutes later through John Mulroy. Dave Webster crossed from the right but Ger Doherty was alert and pushed Mulroy’s header wide for a corner. The quick corner saw Marshall cross for Waters but his header was straight at Waters.
Derry City reacted to the early Bray pressure with two chances in quick succession. David McDaid beat the offside trap before cutting back inside the retreating Shane O’Connor before forcing Darren Quigley into a good low save.
A minute later Simon Madden broke down the right and crossed for Stephen McLaughlin but his header fell just wide of the far post.
The away side came even more into the game with Stephen McLaughlin and Simon Madden becoming more and more influential, the latter’s corner seeing Ruaidhri Higgins fire badly wide from the edge of the box after Danny O’Connor’s poor headed clearance.
John Mulroy had a great chance one minute after the break after Shane McEleney’s poor defensive header, but Ger Doherty made himself big and kept the chance out.
The home side had a half chance on the hour mark after Dave Webster pulled back Stephen McLaughlin on the edge of the box, but Higgins saw his free kick headed clear by Sean Houston.
Kieran Marty Waters had a great chance twenty minutes into the second half as Sean Houston progressed down the left before a backheel set Waters away. He cut back inside before forcing Ger Doherty into a brilliant save.
Two minutes later Doherty was forced into a better stop, diving full stretch to superbly save Mulroy’s long-range strike. Ismahil Akinade couldn’t force the rebound home.
Back down the other end and Derry almost broke the deadlock as David McDaid’s volley from the edge of the box saw Dane Massey throw his body in its path to deflect it for a corner.
Akinade had another chance minutes later after Waters’ good build-up but he waited too long and the chance was gone. That chance turned out to be the last as both side battled in vain to grab a late winner.
Bray Wanderers: Darren Quigley; Dave Webster, Danny O’Connor, Shane O’Connor, Dane Massey; Kieran Marty Waters (Conor Early 81), Daire Doyle (Lee Dixon 84), Sean Houston, Kevin O’Connor, Dean Marshall (Ismahil Akinade 65); John Mulroy.
Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Simon Madden, Shane McEleney, (Stewart Greacen 78), Ryan McBride, Dermot McCaffrey; Owen Morrison (Ryan Curran 82), Barry Molloy, Ruaidhri Higgins, Patrick McEleney (Conor Murphy 56), Stephen McLaughlin, David McDaid.
