Ruaidhri Higgins expecting big response from his players against Bohemians tonight

Derry City vs. Bohemians

Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Tonight, 7:45pm

Ruaidhri Higgins is expecting an emphatic response from his players in tonight’s game against Bohemians at the Brandywell.

The Candystripes fell to their biggest league defeat in five years on Monday night when they lost 4-1 to St. Patrick’s Athletic, the first time in 147 league games that Derry City lost by more than two goals.

It was undoubtedly the worst defeat of Higgins’ time in charge so far, and the manager admitted it was hard to take.

“We haven’t really been used to those types of defeats,” he said. “We don’t sweep things under the carpet. You have to deal with them and discuss them and meet the issues head on, but you also have to remind the players of what they’re capable of as well.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve put in some brilliant performances and the players know, and myself and the staff know, and our supporters know, we’re more than capable of putting in a really good performance and hopefully we can get that on Friday night.

“All I can ask for and all we can demand is that the players give absolutely everything for the football club and for the supporters and the people who pay their hard-earned money to come and support us and travel up and down the country. That’s who we have to do it for on Friday night.”

Less than two weeks ago, Derry City had the chance to go four points clear at the top of the Premier Division. Just one point in the last three games has changed the picture at the top dramatically.

“The last 10 days have been hard to swallow and hard to take in and hard to accept, but a really good win can change things,” Higgins added. “Hopefully we can get that big, big win on Friday that we need and which hopefully we’ll fight tooth and nail to get. I fully expect a really committed performance from our players on Friday. That’s the bare minimum and coming into the break, it would be brilliant to finish off on a real high.”

Captain Patrick McEleney is almost certainly out of tonight's game but there remains a chance that both Michael Duffy and Cameron Dummigan could play despite picking up knocks at Inchicore.

“Patrick has had an ongoing Achilles tendon issue,” Higgins explained. “Sometimes he’s fine and sometimes it really flares up. It wasn’t too bad going into the game, but after half time he had a bad flare up and we had to take him out, so it’s maybe unlikely that Patrick will feature. We’ll have to see closer to Friday with regards Mickey and Dummigan; Mickey took a bad knock and Dummigan likewise so we’ll see how they fare towards the end of the week.”

Higgins meanwhile has defended making regular changes to his starting line-ups.

“There’s more goes on at football clubs than what people see on a match day,” he said. “I’m here every day, the staff are here every day, and we see the players and we know how they’re feeling and physically we know what they’re capable of. Sometimes you’re forced to make changes be it a busy schedule or a player’s form. But once things settle and you go week to week, you can maybe pick a more consistent team. But injuries and form and schedules dictate everything.”