The emotions were highly powered last night before a full house at Maginn Park as Derry City began life without Ryan McBride.
Pictures by North West Newspix
Just two weeks ago, the 27-year-old died suddenly in bed, a day after playing for the Candystripes in a 4-0 win over Drogheda United.
The grief-stricken team-mates and manager Kenny Shiels have had the fortnight from hell as they come to terms with the loss of their inspirational captain.
The sudden death of McBride left them numb to the core.
And last night, football returned as Derry, somehow attempt to get back to some semblence of normality.
McBride was Derry’s hometown leader. His home at Bluebellhill Gardens is right next door to Brandywell Stadium and he was a hero to the kids of the City.
Last night, the CityCubs released baloons in McBride’s memory before the game and players from the Derry Under-17 and Under-19 teams formed a figure 5 – the number worn by McBride – on the pitch.
Derry’s players took to the field wearing tops bearing the number 5 and also black armbands with 5 upon them, while a special programme was produced for the game.
Members of the McBride family were at the game and Derry fans hung banners in Ryan’s memory.
But it wasn’t to be a victory as Bray snatched a late winner courtesy of Tim Clancy’s goal.
Derry had battled back from two-nil down.
Gary McCabe and Aaron Greene had Bray 2-0 ahead at half-time, but an Aaron McEneff penalty and a Dean Jarvis goal brought City level. Derry had dominanted, but couldn’t find a way past Peter Cherrie, the Bray ‘keeper, for long periods.
Clancy pounced late on to seal a win for Bray and hand Derry the first defeat of the season.
As the programme put it, last night was the ‘first game in a very different season’.
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