Ruaidhrí Higgins: Penalty call 'unacceptable' as Derry City lose again

Derry City boss Ruaidhrí Higgins has slammed the "unacceptable" call by referee Neil Doyle to award Bohemians a penalty during Monday's SSE Airtricity Premier Division game at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Bohs were awarded the spot kick after 64 minutes when Ollie O'Neill collided with Kris Twardek. Dean Williams slotted home to extend the Gypsies' lead at the top of the table, while also condemning Derry to consecutive home defeats following the loss to Drogheda United on Good Friday.

Higgins cut a frustrated figure when he spoke afterwards on the penalty award, though he did accept that his side's current home form is not good enough.

"The penalty is just not a penalty," he said.

"I'm normally quite fair to referees when I speak, but that’s not a penalty. If anything the one before that on Ben Doherty is a penalty.

"If you look at the last four home games; against Dundalk one of their players blatantly should have been sent off for cynical fouling, against Sligo we had a goal disallowed that shouldn’t have been disallowed, and against Drogheda they evened it up by giving Cameron McJannet a second yellow that shouldn’t have been a second yellow, and now Bohs have got a penalty tonight that shouldn’t have been a penalty.

"Don’t get me wrong; our home form hasn’t been good enough, but that’s unacceptable tonight. That penalty shouldn’t have been a penalty and those types of decisions are costing us too much at the minute. Don’t get me wrong, we should be doing better, at home in particular, but you can’t deny the fact that it’s hurting us at the minute."

Derry, who forced 14 corners, only had two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes. Still, Higgins felt his side should have got something from the encounter.

"It’s