The message from the Waterford FC fans was loud and clear before kick-off as they held a banner aloft to the players, 'Step Up or Step Out' and on the field, they got the response.
The Blues ended their run of seven straight league defeats in style as they beat Derry City in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division at the RSC.
It was a fine performance from the hosts as goals from Darragh Leahy and a deflected effort from Padraig Amond helped interim head coach Matt Lawlor’s side to a deserved victory. They moved a place above Cork City, who play bottom side Sligo Rovers on Saturday.
After defender Kevin Holt superbly cleared a goalbound Ryan Burke header off the line on 17 minutes and Amond volleyed a Grant Horton 33rd-minute cross inches over, the hosts struck for the lead goal five minutes before the break.
Conan Noonan whipped in a right-wing corner to the back post that saw Kacper Radkowski and Andy Boyle knock the ball forward, and it was Leahy who got the vital touch to bundle home for his first goal of the season.
Waterford doubled their advantage with 65 minutes on the clock when Noonan sent in a free-kick from the halfway line that saw Lonergan knock the ball down for Amond, and his right-footed deflected off Holt before nestling into the bottom far corner to send the home side wild.
Derry City did try to get back into the game, only to find keeper Stephen McMullan in great form as he kept out Michael Duffy’s stinging effort on 71 minutes before producing a top save eight minutes later to deny Sean Patton.
When it looked as if Waterford were going to hold out for their first clean sheet of the season, the visitors pulled one back four minutes into added time when Sam Todd sent over a left-wing cross that saw substitute Liam Boyce get in front of Kyle White to head home.
But it was too little too late, Waterford holding on for a sweet victory.
Waterford FC: McMullan; Horton, Radkowski, Boyle (White 46), Leahy, Burke; Olayinka, Glenfield (McCormack 85), Noonan; Lonergan, Amond.
Derry City: Maher; Todd, Connolly, R Boyce (Ferguson 62), Holt; Winchester (O’Reilly 46), Duffy, Thomas (Boyce 46), Benson (Harkin 62), Whyte; Mullen (Patton 70).
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
