Any result on the road is brilliant, says Stephen Baxter as Carrick Rangers clinch victory at Limavady United
Stephen Baxter says that whilst Carrick Rangers’ victory at Limavady United was pleasing – there are still things for the Amber Army to work on in the weeks and months ahead.
The ‘Gers recorded a 2-1 triumph at the Limavady Showgrounds to start the season with maximum points from their opening two games.
After an even start in the north west, the visitors struck first on 39 minutes as a lovely weighted pass by Jimmy Callacher sent Paul Heatley through on goal and the veteran ace made no mistake with a clinical finish over an onrushing Martin Gallagher.
Three minutes later, Baxter’s boys were in dreamland as another fine move saw Aidan Steele lash home from close range after initial good work by Daire O’Connor.
However, the Roesiders got back into the contest when Alfie Gaston lashed home from Philip Lowry’s cut back on 53 minutes but the ‘Gers held firm amid a late rally from the hosts to leave with all three points.
"I'm obviously very pleased, coming from a long distance from home, picking up all three points is brilliant,” Baxter told Carrick Rangers’ social media platforms.
"We are off to a good start, there are things which pleased me in the game but there were things which frustrated me.
"We weren't good for the first 20 minutes, we allowed them a few spaces, we didn't pick up our runners and gave them a couple of half chances.
"Once we settled into our rhythm, we started to pass it great and we got a lovely few lovely movements and quality.
"We scored a wonderful goal and Jimmy's (Callacher) pass was brilliant to open the defence up and Paul (Heatley) slotted it, which was great.
"We do similar with another great move and score a second goal.
"When you're on top at 2-0, you've got to make sure you don't allow a team to get back into it. We had two or three one-on-one chances and you've got to bury one or two of them to take the game away from them.
"We didn't do that and they went straight up the park and scored, which was a bad, bad goal from our point of view.
"Any result on the road, whether it's a point or three, is brilliant so we will be pleased with today's work but we still need to work really hard to make it a little bit easier on ourselves.”
The victory came at a cost as Adam Lecky had to be withdrawn but Baxter hopes the striker won’t be absent for a considerable period of time.
He explained: "It was a wee tweak of the groin muscle.
"I spoke to him after the game and it was better getting him off the pitch quickly as opposed to playing on and doing much more damage.
"If you do it right and get him off, he could be out for a week or two weeks, but if you stay on, he could do more damage which could be eight or ten weeks.
"It was smart for him to get off and we hope that it'll be okay.”
LIMAVADY UNITED: Gallagher, Farren, P. Lowry, S. Lowry, O’Donnell, Butcher, Brown, Gaston, Mullan, Carlin, Boyd.
Subs: Doherty (GK), T. Boorman, Jarvis, Duffy, Tosh, R. Boorman, Wilson.
CARRICK RANGERS: Gartside, Place, Forysthe, Callacher, Gibson, Lecky, McCullough, Steele, Buchanan-Rolleston, Heatley, Snoddy.
Subs: Agnew (GK), Burns, O’Connor, Maciulaitis, Crowe, Cherry, Hastings.
Referee: Tim Marshall