Carrick Rangers 'leave no stone unturned' with Premiership play-off scouting mission underway months ago

With a points difference opening up either side to Glenavon and relegated Loughgall, Carrick’s participation in this end-of-season play-off has been on the cards for some time and Baxter has been able to prepare accordingly.

Carrick had to wait until Saturday afternoon to discover their opponents with Annagh’s 1-0 victory over Ards – an eighth consecutive league win – ensuring Ciaran McGurgan’s side enter a third play-off in four seasons, previously losing out to Portadown and Dungannon Swifts.

Annagh edged out H&W Welders and Limavady United, but Baxter and his coaching staff have been watching the dramatic Championship race closely and are ready for the challenge ahead.

"The work that has been going on for the last two or three months has been intense around looking at that opposition,” Baxter told the club’s media channel. “We were looking at all three teams to make sure we were aware of who we might get and that we were well-versed.

"There’s no football footage you can get your hands on through Wyscout which we’d normally have so we had to do a lot of that work and I’ve one or two people doing it for me.

"That’s something we do normally in preparing for opposition and we’re very aware of Annagh’s strengths...they are a very good side at home and we need to make sure we’re able to deal with that challenge and meet it.

"It’s going to be a very tough game, they are a good side with eight wins on the trot in the Championship which isn’t an easy thing to do.

"They come into this with a lot of form and we will need to be at our best to get something from the game, but it’s over two legs and we need to make sure we prepare for all in front of us.

"We’re ready...that’s the nature of the game, you’re in it to win it, as they will be. We take nothing for granted, will leave no stone unturned and get on with the job.”