Skonto Riga 1 Derry City 1:Derry City will take an away goal back to the Brandywell after a deserved draw against Skonto Riga in Latvia in the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier this evening.

Scotsman Tam McManus was the hero when he headed home Marc Farren’s cross a minute before halftime.

It was the least the lone striker deserved having battled so willingly up front in the face of some staunch defending from Vitalijs Snirnovs and Skonto captain, David Gamezardashvili.

The homeside had taken the lead through Igor Kozlovs, when the midfielder connected with a diving header from Brazilian Carvalho Junior’s cross.

At that stage, Skonto were well worth their lead, having started brightly, but McManus’s strike lifted the Candystripes and they could have nicked a winner after the break had Ciaran Martyn’s not skied his shot over the bar.

Stephen Kenny will not worry too much about that, however, with a precious away goal in the bag.