MANAGER'S VIEW: 'He epitomises everything that's good' - Stephen Baxter's high praise for two-goal Carrick hero
Boss Stephen Baxter watched 38-year-old Paul Heatley star with two goals and an assist across a sparkling Carrick Rangers performance against former club Crusaders and declared “he epitomises everything that’s good about an Irish League footballer”.
Heatley and Baxter both enjoyed sustained glory days in Crues colours but had Carrick celebrations as full focus across Saturday’s 6-1 success.
Aidan Steele, Adam Lecky and a Danny Gibson finish off the substitutes’ bench left Carrick in full control – with Fraser Bryden cutting the gap at 2-1 before the break but also netting an own goal after the interval.
Here’s the verdict of Carrick Rangers boss Stephen Baxter:
PAUL HEATLEY...
"I told him off for missing the chance when he goes through...he whips it past the post when he should score.
"I told him off for not getting his hat-trick and going home with the match ball.
"His set-up for the first goal...the pace, he run away from their back four, the composure to get it on the line and pull it back for Aidan (Steele) to score.
"Then he scores two beautiful goals himself...it shows you the mark of the player, the man, the desire in the team today to get it around that pitch and hunt every ball and fight for every ball and win a big game of football.
“He epitomises everything that's good about an Irish League footballer.
"And he's done it now for a long, long, long time.”
OVERALL PERFORMANCE...
"I was disappointed we conceded a stupid goal and I told the boys off at half-time...there was no danger, we should have cleared the ball out of there.
"When the Crusaders staff all come and say 'we didn't lay a glove on you', it tells you what you need to know about this game of football.
"We've controlled it pretty much from start to finish.
"They threw the kitchen sink at it for 15-20 minutes in the second half...then we break up the pitch and score and then we took the game away.
"It's like a boxing match...we hammered them so hard in the first half (but) gift them a goal.
"They weren’t in the first half at all.
"The second half...when you take the stuffing out of a team like five rounds of boxing and then, when they get a wee break at half-time, they throw their lot at it for 20 minutes (in the second half).
"Then they fold in the last 20 minutes of the game.
"It has to be pleasing from us.
"It's my biggest win since I've come here...6-1.
"It was really good from us, we won all those battles.”
END-OF-SEASON GOALS...
"The aim can only be seventh...you can't really go any higher (under the split).
"We talked before the game today...you have five games of football, you've got to try and win them all.
"Why turn up if you don't want to win a football match?
"You've got to be competitive, you've got to get in there, win the games, carry the form forward if you can and look forward to those games.
"They’ll be a tough challenge.
"We've given ourselves a chance.
"And that'll be a real milestone I think, for Carrick.
"And what we've achieved this year and how well we've played.
"Our budget is probably the lowest in the division.
"So, to do that and where we are, has been marvellous.”