Michael Rafter was the hero at the Brandywell yesterday, the Derry City’s striker seeing off the challenge of Bray Wanderers with a thoroughly deserved brace of goals.

Derry broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Rafter let fly with a wind-assisted effort from 30 yards which was fumbled by Bray’s back-peddling goalkeeper, Seán Holmes, the ball appearing to strike the inside of the post and then against the goalkeeper’s body before nestling in the net.

Up until that point Bray’s defensive tactics had worked well as they flooded the midfield area before hitting on the break. Indeed, Jason Byrne cracked a superb effort off the Derry crossbar shortly before the opening goal.

But Rafter ended the match as a contest in the 54th minute, Ryan McBride played a magnificent pass from defence to find Rafter and when he passed square across the face of goal, Patrick McEleney’s superb cross to the back post was headed home by the striker from close range.