Richie Towell believes that the "experience, grit and determination" Derry City had to display to make a winning start to their SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division campaign bodes well for their chances in the season ahead.
Fans of the Candystripes turned up at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday night for the clash with Sligo Rovers in buoyant mood.
The off-season saw manager Tiernan Lynch bolster the squad in a major way, not least with the acqusuition of old boys James and Patrick McClean.
Indeed, Derry have already secured silverware, with their President's Cup success over Shamrock Rovers enhancing their claims as the greatest threat to the Dubliners' title defence.
However, it looked as if the visitors might leave with all three points until Derry staged a late rally.
Jad Hakiki gave Sligo a first-half lead, with inspired goalkeeper Sam Sargeant ensuring it was an advantage they would not relinquish until the 81st minute.
Alex Bannon's superb strike dragged Derry back into the game, with Josh Thomas bagging the eventual winner in the final minute of normal time.
Derry were the dominant force in the second half, but their sluggish start surprised most onlookers, including Towell.
"I was expecting Derry to come out of the traps flying, with the atmosphere around the place," the former Shamrock Rovers star told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"They'd just won the President's Cup, the two McCleans are back in – you felt there was a real buzz about the place.
"But I thought the intensity in the first half from Derry was so poor.
"I couldn't believe what I was watching, and I was thinking, 'when is this game going to kick into life?'
"Obviously, then they get in at half-time and Sligo are 1-0 up, and you're thinking, 'what's going on here? This isn't the start that Derry had planned.'
"You could probably feel it a little bit in the stadium as well; it kind of sucked the energy out of them.
"I thought Sligo did really well in the game; they were really good in the first half. Now, if that's on the back of Derry being a bit lacklustre and not having the intensity, and a little bit of complacency as well, thinking, 'we have one of the best squads in the league, we just have to turn up'."
However, while it took plenty of huffing and puffing to earn the win, it's the ability to eke out a result and prevail while not at their cohesive best that could prove crucial in Derry's title bid.
"Derry would have drawn or lost that game last year, and that's where we talk about the signings of James McClean and his brother Patrick – a little bit of experience, grit, and determination.
"They get through it and then they do absolutely brilliantly in the end to win it, because that's the most important thing.
"As we said, the quality is not there yet – which it won't be – but to have that grit and determination to just get over the line, that's what teams who want to win a league do."
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