They moved in front after 23 minutes when a Thomas Stewart back post header from a Stephen Douglas right-wing cross took a deflection off defender Clive Delaney before slipping under 'keeper Gerard Doherty.

The Blues doubled their advantage five minutes from the break when Douglas again delivered the ball from the right for Mark Dickson to knock on into Peter Thompson's path who duly dispatched a right-foot effort into the net.

Derry pulled one back on 79 minutes through Ciaran Martyn who knocked the ball beyond Alan Mannus into the corner from close range.

But any hopes they had of securing a point where dashed on 86 minutes when Glenn Ferguson fired home a penalty awarded when two City defenders appeared to bring down Stewart as he bustled into the area.