Rodney McAree disappointed as 'I thought that was a penalty' - but still taking 'massive positives'

The Inver Reds sealed victory in the closing stages as Paul O’Neill kept his cool to slot home from the penalty spot.

Here’s what McAree had to say after the match:

TOUGH TO TAKE – THOUGHTS ON THE MATCH?

"I think there's massive positives from our point of view that you're coming out of a game against Larne, who are sitting at the top of the table and have two games in hand, and we're very disappointed we don't take anything from the game.

"I don't know whether we deserve to win it or not, but I don't think we deserve to lose it. I thought we'd done well in the second half.

"We forced a great save out of Rohan Ferguson late on in the game and we actually looked as if we could have went and nicked it.

"But we give two bad goals away on the day, two goals that are preventable. We can deal better with them. Unfortunately, we've paid the price for those.”

FIRST ONE FRUSTARTING AS MISTAKE ALLOWS TIARNAN O’CONNOR TO NIP IN?

"Yeah, we allow the ball to bounce. Second half, we don't do that as much.

"We deal with a straight ball down the channel well in the second half, but the first half we allow it to bounce. Once you allow it to bounce, then you put yourself under pressure and Tiarnan gets the other side and we give a free-kick away.

"Mark Randall’s got the capabilities of putting those away, so we paid the price for that. The second goal is a poor header, poor defensive header that allows Matty through on goal and the rest is history.”

GREAT WAY TO RESPOND FROM THE FIRST THROUGH STEVEN SCOTT’S STRIKE?

"I've been giving Scotty a wee bit of grief because he couldn't hit a barn door normally! It's a fantastic strike.

"He's been very good this past week. His energy and his effort levels and everything's been great. I believe he can do well in the middle of the park and I believe he can score goals as well. So it's nice to see him score today.”

PUSHING HIM FURTHER UP THE PITCH?

"Yeah, it's probably just who we're playing against as well.

"Maybe you feel as if you want his energy in around the middle of the park. But he's done well. Other people have done extremely well.

"Tiernan Kelly I thought was exceptional today too. But at the end of the day, we're very disappointed that we don't get anything from the game.”

TESTAMENT TO FORM AND SQUAD THAT YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED?

"I’m disappointed because there's an incident just before, or about five minutes before, when the ball goes into their box, and I get the rules...if it comes off a head on to the hand, potentially it's not a penalty kick, but I think Matt Ridley has lost all control of his body.

"I don't think Matt Ridley knows where the ball is, I don't think he knows where he is, and he's lost all balance. He's went down and he's been very fortunate it has hit him in the head before it has got to his hand. So from that point of view, I think he's got away with it.

"Some decisions you'll get, some you'll not, but I thought that was a penalty. I'll just be honest with you, I thought it was a penalty kick. Their penalty kick was a certain penalty kick.

"We rode our luck a little bit in the first half, Larne had a few more opportunities than what we did.”