MANAGER'S VIEW: 'We got our bum smacked' - Stephen Baxter reflects on 7-0 loss for Carrick on day Glentoran striker nets six

It was 2-0 – both off Hoban – before Carrick’s problems increased with a straight red card for Reece Glendinning on 28 minutes following his challenge on Jordan Jenkins.

Hoban went on to make it a magic six goals for the experienced striker before Liam Burt wrapped up the visitors’ scoring at 7-0, with Ryan Cooney having provided six assists.

Here’s the verdict of Carrick Rangers boss Stephen Baxter:

SIX-GOAL PAT HOBAN...

"I went over and had a wee quick word in his ear and congratulated him on just fabulous finishing, how well he played and what he'd done...it was brilliant.

"It's not just about the master finisher (Hoban), it's the people who bring the bricks to the bricklayer to put them on the wall.

"You've got to sort all 11 players out, how they play, what they do, how they do it - and tip your hat to them, because I thought they were brilliant today.

"We've played Larne of recent days, Linfield of recent days...they (Glentoran) were excellent today here, so incredible credit.

"Glentoran came here today and were powerful, they were aggressively strong in their play, they passed the ball great, they had a brilliant finisher in Hoban and they were great."

CARRICK PLAYER WOES...

"I was always a little bit worried and anxious going into the game given that we'd lost Jack Scott (loan return to parent club Coleraine) and Reece Glendinning hasn't played football for a year and a half.

"So coming into the game we were so light in numbers...we had two fit players on the bench and we had three teenagers at 16 years old.

"Two of the other lads, Jimmy (Callacher) and Joe (Crowe), couldn't go on because they were never fit to play anyway,...so we were filling the bench to make sure you had the number.

"The same 11 players, if you like, have gone to the wheel for us now for the last four or five games, six games...no changes to the team and have worked themselves into the floor.

"So with this quick turnaround, it's always difficult when the bigger teams have these big squads who are making three and four changes every single week they play and have the like-for-like replacements and their benches are very strong.

"So they played at a high pace, high level and we were off it and we got our bum smacked...that was as simple as that - they were way better, we were lucky getting nil.

"We talked about making sure we stayed in the game and we just didn't do the bits and pieces that we've been doing very well over the last couple of weeks with good movement.

"They put a couple of good balls into the box and we didn't deal with them and you're 2-0 down with the blink of an eye."

CARRICK RED CARD...

"The sending off, for me it was a yellow card...the boy's flicked it on, Reece (Glendinning) was a bit late on the jump and clips a boy in the back.

"For me it's a yellow card and that changed the game for me.

"It nearly ruins the game and I've said that to them (the match officials) and they give me a yellow card for it. "It takes things away as a spectacle...the team's already 2-0 down.

"But it's never a red card but, look, that's what happens and these decisions are made."

MOVING FORWARD... "We are where we are, we've got to reflect on what we need to do and all the bits and pieces that we can do...try and get fit bodies back, try and get one or two people in.

"We've just signed Mikey Place and that'll give us a wee bit more going forward on the right-hand side.

"We're looking to bring one or two more in, just to get some more numbers in the building that will give us that capability of competing well over the next number of weeks because we had seven games this month."