Carrick Rangers assistant manager Peter Thompson praised the leadership of Stephen Baxter and felt it was “testament to the man” that he guided his side to a 1-0 Premiership win over Portadown after the sad passing of his mother Annie.

The Co Antrim club posted on Friday morning that Baxter’s mother had passed away, but the Irish League legend was on the touchline at Taylors Avenue as Carrick ended their five-game winless league run thanks to Luke McCullough’s second half goal.

It continues what has been a solid start to the new campaign for Carrick, who began with three consecutive wins and were the first to pick up a point against then-unbeaten Glentoran.

They successfully bounced back from a disappointing midweek BetMcLean Cup exit away at Championship outfit Armagh City and Thompson, who joined the club during the summer after previously working alongside Baxter at Crusaders, hailed the manager as a “real superstar”.

placeholder image — Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

"It's testament to the man, our leader of the club, that Stephen felt he should be here today to lead his players and staff,” he told the club’s media channel. “I said to him after the game when he was in the coaches room, I really congratulated him on his leadership today and told him the win wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been here.

"That presence, he gave an emotional team talk, and he was a real superstar. As a whole club, the players, staff, committee, volunteers, supporters, we all send our love to Stephen and his family at this time."

Carrick entered Saturday’s fixture on the back of five consecutive defeats across all competitions, but Baxter had praised his squad for how they performed against full-time powers Larne and Coleraine in recent weeks.

Victory over the Ports, who also suffered cup elimination on Tuesday evening at the hands of third-tier Newry City, means Carrick have now moved onto 13 points from nine matches.

"It was good to get that monkey off our back,” added Thompson. “That was five games we'd been beaten, and believe it or not, but if you go six in a row it's a big jump, even though it doesn't seem like it, but in footballing terms it is.

"I think we got what we deserved and we hadn't got what we deserved over the past number of weeks, apart from Tuesday night when we deservedly got beat by a good Armagh team.

"In terms of the league games over the last three of four, we didn't get a bit of luck and we deserved to win the football match today, even though it was extremely tight.

"One goal was always going to win that game and there were chances at both ends in both halves...I'm going to put it down to really good goalkeeping rather than poor finishing to be positive.

"We probably shaded it in terms of territory, possession and what a goal to win it from Luke. He was superb all day, led the players from the back and that's what you need from your captain."

Carrick will be back in action on Tuesday evening when they host reigning Co Antrim Shield champions Glentoran in a quarter-final clash.