Marcus Kane strike puts Glentoran in top six after victory at Carrick Rangers

It was just the response that manager Gary Haveron was looking for following his team’s mauling by high-flying Crusaders at the weekend.

The East Belfast boys enjoyed the perfect start with Robbie McDaid scoring in their first attack.

Battling Carrick Rangers hit back with a Darren Henderson equaliser before the break. The striker then missed a penalty early in the second half. The home team were made to pay for that miss with Kane sending the visiting supporters into raptures with is late party piece.

The game got off to an explosive start with Andrew Mooney rattling the Glentoran crossbar on three minutes following Lee Chapman’s low cross.

New signing Eamon Scannell gobbled up the rebound and he couldn’t believe his luck when his vicious volley also crashed off the underside of the frame, although the ball looked to have cross the line.

With the Carrick players still trying to change the mind of referee Evan Boyce, the visitors roared to the other end and McDaid showed just how to finish when he drilled home a sweet drive from just inside the box, following a clever link-up involving Curtis Allen and James Knowles.

Allen was right out of luck five minutes later. He rose to meet a Ross Redman cross, but his looping header was snatched under the crossbar by a relieved Doherty.

Then Allen managed to jink away from Mark Edgar and, when he pulled the ball on to his left foot he looked a certain scorer, only for Paddy McNally to track back to get in a telling block.

Against all the odds, Rangers levelled six minutes before the break. Mooney’s cross was completely miss-hit by defender Calum Birney and Henderson picked up the pieces to drill low and hard into the bottom corner.

Rangers missed a glorious chance to take the lead four minutes after the break when Redman hauled down Chapman inside the box and referee Boyce had no hesitation in awarding the a penalty kick.

Henderson stepped up to send Morris the wrong way, but the ball clipped the inside of the post and rolled to safety.

The visitors roared straight to the other end with Redman and Allen creating a chance for John McGuigan, who stung the hands of Doherty with a thundering drive.

Dylan Davidson then tried his luck with an audacious dipping shot from distance that screamed over the head of Doherty only to clip the top of the crossbar.

And, they again went close with 16 minutes remaining when another expertly whipped in cross from Redman was met by substitute Peter McMahon, whose flick header fizzed inches over the top.

Seconds later a Knowles corner kick was completely missed by Doherty, but Garrett failed to bundle home from practically on the goal line.

But with the clock ticking down, Allen hauled down by a clumsy challenge from Damien McNulty and, from Knowles’ free kick, Kane’s glancing header roared into the top corner.

Kane almost did it again with practically the last kick, but his rasping 25 yard drive crashed back off the post.

CARRICK RANGERS: Doherty, Edgar, Surgenor, McNally, Chapman, Scannell (Nimick 69), Mooney, Larmour, Kottoy, Henderson (Glackin 69), McNulty (McAllister 89). Unused subs: Taggart, Anau.

GLENTORAN: Morris, Garrett, Kane, Birney, Allen (Addis 91), McGuigan (McMahon 57), Davidson, Knowles, Redman, Ferrin, McDaid.

Unused subs: O’Hanlon, Gordon, McNicholl.

REFEREE: Evan Boyce.