'Bits and pieces' behind the scenes helping Carrick Rangers climb hopes
Boss Stephen Baxter has praised the behind-the-scenes hard work behind his early positive introduction to life with Carrick Rangers.
Two defeats across the eight Sports Direct Premiership games since Baxter’s October appointment as a replacement for Stuart King have offered encouragement towards Carrick hopes of a climb up the standings.
Sitting outside the relegation zone by two points with a game in hand over Glenavon, Carrick host bottom-placed Loughgall this afternoon with Baxter aware of the hard yards behind every gain.
"We’re trying to build on bits and pieces that we’re learning all the while...I’m learning a lot about the players, they’re learning a lot about me,” said Baxter recently on the club’s official social media channels. "And we’ve got to keep working hard...there’s no excuses for not working hard and everyone is working really hard right now, which pleases me.
"We’ve still lots to do.”
Nedas Maciulaitis heads into this weekend as Carrick’s most recent match winner following a decisive strike against Ballymena.
"It was a superb winner,” said Baxter, who is pleased with both individual and collective progress. "We’ve been working with Nedas – and others – on some of the finishing in training and it’s starting to pay a little bit of dividends.
“Nedas has been outstanding in the last three or four games, his work-rate has been superb, his quality has been good.
"Now we have that confidence to get into the box and score goals and create the chances to win matches.”