Interim duo Curtis Allen and Mark Surgenor help Carrick Rangers end eight-game Premiership losing run with Cliftonville triumph
After the departure of manager Stuart King earlier this week, Carrick Rangers ended their eight-game Premiership losing run and climbed off the bottom with a 2-0 victory over Cliftonville under interim duo Curtis Allen and Mark Surgenor. Here’s the story of the game:
TEAMS
CARRICK RANGERS: Ro Glendinning, Forsythe, Stewart, Cushley, Maciulaitis, McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston, Clucas, Cherry, Heatley, Gibson.
Subs: McCauley, McGuckin, Allen, Andrews, Re Glendinning, Given, Tilney.
CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Stewart, Addis, Newberry, Pettifer, Hale, Curran, Leppard, Doherty, Glynn, Steven.
Subs: Ridd, Pepper, Ojo, Gormley, Markey, Hawthorne, Corrigan.
Referee: Mark Dillon.
FIRST HALF
5: Driving run from Danny Gibson, showing quick feet to dance through a couple of challenges before being brought down. David Cushley is teed up from the resulting free-kick but shot is easily blocked.
9: Huge chance for Michael Newberry to open the scoring with a volley from close range after a Cliftonville corner but his effort is sent well over the crossbar.
17: High ball into the box which Paul Heatley goes to challenge Reds goalkeeper David Odumosu for. Carrick winger adjudged to have fouled the shot stopper, moments before Cliftonville are denied a penalty appeal.
22: Delightful touch round the corner from Rory Hale sends Sean Stewart, playing at right wing-back, running down the line and his delivery is ultimately too high for Ryan Curran.
24: GOAL: CARRICK RANGERS (DANNY GIBSON). Great ball down the line from Seanan Clucas sends Gibson galloping in behind, holding Michael Newberry off. Cliftonville defender gets block on the first attempted shot but rebound falls kindly for Carrick striker to send it home. 1-0.
29: Arran Pettifer sends in a dangerous cross as Cliftonville go in search of an equaliser but Cameron Stewart makes a superb intervention and corner comes to nothing.
35: Straight from the goal kick, Heatley nips in front of Shaun Leppard and is immediately through on goal with his shot parried by Odumosu before the goalkeeper recovers to claim possession.
38: Ball breaks to Kyle Cherry in the box and Sean Stewart rushes out to make a crucial block which sends his shot over the bar. Stewart reaches the resulting corner but can only head wide under pressure.
44: First yellow card of the match goes to Kurtis Forsythe for bringing down Sean Stewart, just inches outside the Carrick box. The free-kick is laid off to Stewart and only for Luke McCullough’s block it looked destined for the top corner.
45: Three minutes of added time to be played.
HALF TIME: CARRICK RANGERS 1 – 0 CLIFTONVILLE.
SECOND HALF
50: Bright spark for Carrick after the break as Heatley lays off to Nedas Maciulaitis, who gets a shot away from inside the box which is blocked by Newberry.
58: Carrick are almost gifted a second as Micheal Glynn’s pass back to Odumosu is light and Gibson is allowed to nip and get a shot away but Jonny Addis makes a crucial block.
59: Jim Magilton makes an attacking pair of changes with Joe Gormley and Ryan Corrigan replacing Micheal Glynn and Ronan Doherty.
62: GOAL: CARRICK RANGERS (SEANAN CLUCAS). The hosts double their lead as Seanan Clucas nets his first goal for Carrick Rangers by slamming home from close range after a long throw. 2-0.
65: Substitute Gormley is booked for a challenge on goalscorer Clucas.
66: Magilton looks to his bench once again with Destiny Ojo replacing Ryan Curran as the Reds aim to salvage something from the game while Carrick captain David Cushley, making his first league start of the season, makes way for Reece Glendinning.
69: Penalty appeal from Cliftonville as Taylor Steven falls to the ground in the action of trying to get his shot away but referee Mark Dillon waves it away.
71: Heatley goes into the book for a challenge on Sean Stewart.
75: Another penalty appeal for the Reds as Destiny Ojo goes down but the referee sees it the other way and gives a foul against the Cliftonville forward.
82: Final roll of the dice for Cliftonville as Ryan Markey replaces Taylor Steven.
85: Heatley dances through the Reds midfield and only for being brought down by Addis could have done further damage. Cliftonville defender is booked for the challenge and Odumosu tips Kyle Cherry’s free-kick over the bar.
89: Goalscorer Gibson is replaced by Emmett McGuckin.
90: Four minutes added on.
FULL TIME: CARRICK RANGERS 2 – 0 CLIFTONVILLE.