St Patrick's Athletic stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches at a blustery Brandywell yesterday but the score-line did not reflect the balance of play.

Derry's hopes of building on last weekend's victory over Cork City were dealt a cruel blow when goalkeeper David Platt was controversially sent off after just 13 minutes for handling the ball outside his goal area.

And the sending-off was made worse with Derry's failure to include a reserve keeper on their substitutes' bench. Gary Beckett donned the keeper's jersey initially, before Paul Curran was summoned off the bench to fill the breach.

And despite their numerical inferiority, the home side actually dominated the first half with both Sean Hargan and Darren Kelly going close with the wind at their backs.

That said, St Pat's midfielder Barry Prenderville probably had the best scoring chance when his diving header from Eddie Gormley's free in the 38th minute sailed agonisingly wide of the target with Curran beaten.

St Pat's set about their task early in the second half and after a sustained bout of pressure their persistence finally paid off on the hour but their opening goal was shrouded in controversy.

Derry midfielder Eamon Doherty appeared to have won the ball cleanly in a tackle, but the referee awarded a free. And from 40 yards Marcus Hallows's blistering drive was deflected into the Derry net off the body of Trevor Molloy.

Thirteen minutes later Pat's extended their lead when Molloy's accurate cross-field pass found Hallows and after outwitting Sean Hargan, the striker drove the ball home from an acute angle.

With the match over as a contest, Pat's netted a third goal in the 92nd minute after the Derry defence failed to clear a rightwing corner, Alan McNevin bursting in to drive the loose ball home from point blank range.

Afterwards, Derry boss Kevin Mahon was afterwards critical of the referee.

Derry City - Platt; McCallion, Hutton, Kelly, Hargan; Morn, Hegarty, Doherty, Gallagher; McCaul, Beckett. Subs: Curran for McCaul (16 mins). Gilmour for McCallion (77 mins).

St. Patrick's Athletic - Wood; Croly, Lynch, Broughan; Gormley, Penderville, Murray, Doyle; Hallows, Molloy, McNevin. Subs - Harte for Gormley (68 mins), McGuinness for Lynch (86 mins).

Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).