AS CITY STRUGGLERS FIND THEIR MOJO

the back post to side-foot Ben Doherty’s cross past Danny Rogers.

Left-back Anto Breslin ultimately bore responsibility as he failed to come across and pressure the Derry forward.

The double set-back of conceding and losing Redmond didn’t stop Pat’s from continuing to push forward and they should have been level – at the very least – by half-time.

But Forrester was wasteful with an effort to lob Brian Maher on the half-hour, while the Derry keeper did well to claw away a Kavanagh drive six minutes later.

The game was decided by three goals inside the first 11 minutes of the second-half.

Derry’s veteran centre-half Mark Connolly showed all the grace and sleight of foot of a flying winger to dance into the area on the left and open up for a far-post curler, which had Rogers at full-stretch.

Unfortunately for the Pat’s keeper, Pat Hoban was in the right place to finish the rebound for his eighth goal of the season.

Connolly’s contribution was recognised by many of his teammates, who raced over to congratulate him before celebrating with the goalscorer.

Derry’s joy was short-lived, however, as Pat’s produced a near-instant reply.

Conor Keeley, not to be outdone by Connolly, conjured up his own piece of magic when he hooked Kavanagh’s cross over his shoulder and past Maher to halve the deficit.

Pat’s hopes of a comeback were dashed two minutes later when Mullen scored his second of the night to re-establish Derry’s two-goal lead.

He headed home a Will Patching free-kick, having won the set-piece himself.