Patterson spot on for Derry to hit Bray’s survival hopes

Bray Wanderers 1 Derry City 1

Rory Patterson was Derry City’s saviour at the Carlisle Grounds as Peter Hutton’s charges fought back to claim a point in a keenly-contested encounter with relegation-threatened Bray Wanderers.

The Candystripes breathed a huge sigh of relief on 21 minutes when Jake Kelly put a delicate chip past the advancing Gerard Doherty only for the ball to crash off the top of the crossbar.

The impressive hosts eventually broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time, as centre-half Adam Mitchell powerfully headed the ball home from Adam Hanlon’s enticing right-wing cross.

After the reliable Doherty had foiled Jake Kelly from close range upon the resumption, Patterson restored parity with a coolly converted penalty beyond the reach of McGuinness on 62 minutes.

This set the game up for a grandstand finale and Bray were given a chance to win the game when they were awarded a 78th-minute penalty following Doherty’s foul on a raiding Jake Kelly, but the Bray man blasted his spot-kick over the crossbar.

Shaun Kelly’s dismissal on a second yellow-card offence six minutes from time handed the initiative to Bray again but they had to be content a share of the spoils and their disappointment was compounded when Niall Cooney was also dismissed deep into added time.

Bray Wanderers: McGuinness;  Cooney, Mitchell, Webster, Barker; Scully, G Kelly, Zambra, Hanlon; Cassidy; J Kelly.

Derry City: Doherty; Kelly, S McEleney, Barry, Jarvis; Tracey, Houston, Lowry, Timlin; McNamee; Patterson.

Referee: R Rogers (Dublin).