Derry City remain unbeaten under new manager Kevin Mahon, and this deserved victory over Sligo Rovers yesterday afternoon, will help make amends for last weekend, when the Northern side conceded a late equaliser against the same opposition at the Showgrounds.

Mahon has gathered seven points from his three games in charge as Derry continue to make a determined move up the Premier Division table.

However, after Michael McHugh, Eamon Doherty and Martin McCann all squandered quality chances, the attendance of 2,000 had to wait until the 45th minute before the home side eventually broke the deadlock.

Before that referee Pat Whelan failed to award a penalty in the 32nd minute when Sligo full back Tony Callaghan appeared to upend Derry striker Liam Coyle inside the area.

The Dublin official, who was well placed to witness the incident, immediately waved play on much to the annoyance of the Brandywell faithful.

But the home side's persistence was eventually rewarded on the stroke of half-time following a corner on the left. Stuart Gauld's centre was beaten out by Sligo's debutant Wesley Charles, but when the ball dropped into the path of Gary Beckett on the edge of the penalty area, the midfielder let fly through the crowded goalmouth to find the target.

After the break the visitors opened up and began to exert some pressure. Marcus Hallows and Alex Rowlands should have brought Sligo level but they failed to hit the target. Having committed so many players forward, Sligo paid the penalty in the 74th minute when the vision of Coyle, basically ended the contest. The Derry striker gained possession on the edge of the 18-yard area before rolling the ball perfectly in the path of McHugh and the Donegalman gave Matthew Boswell no chance with a powerful angled drive from 16 yards.

In fact, McHugh should have doubled his personal tally three minutes later when McCann sent him clear, But on this occasion his shot screamed agonisingly wide of the post.

"The players and backroom staff have continued to work particularly hard and I think we are beginning to reap the rewards of their efforts. While I wasn't disappointed at our first half performance, I wasn't overly enthusiastic either. However, I thought we knuckled down after the break and after weathering an early storm, we basically dictated the pace of the game.

"I was delighted to see so many chances created and equally, the fact that we didn't concede a goal today really pleased me," said the Derry boss.

Derry City: Platt; McCallion, Hargan, Hutton, Curran, McCann, Doherty, Hegarty, Coyle, Beckett, McHugh. Subs: Gauld for Doherty (34 mins), Gilmour for Coyle (85 mins), Kelly for Hegarty (92 mins).

Sligo Rovers: Boswell; Callaghan, Hutchinson, Reid, Sheridan, Charles, Jones, Shannon, Hallows, Ogden, Rowlands. Subs: Flannery and Birks for Jones and Shannon (79 mins), Hare for Sheridan (80 mins).

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).