Ross Glendinning spot-on for Carrick’s Stephen Baxter after 'big save' form for second match

​All the drama and controversy proved crammed into the final few seconds – the 94th minute to be precise – when referee Steven Gregg pointed to the spot, having adjudged Rangers defender Curtis Forsythe of handling a cross from Danny Amos.

David Fisher shot the Glens into a first-half lead with a blistering effort that cannoned off the head of defender Luke McCullough – only for Rangers to level with 11 minutes left when Danny Gibson headed home a peach of a delivery from Paul Heatley.

Glentoran striker Jay Donnelly had the chance to grab the headlines by taking on the responsibility of hitting the spot-kick. But Glendinning got down smartly to his left to smother Donnelly’s tame effort.

“Ross has now done it two weeks in a row,” beamed Baxter, who recently replaced Stuart King in the Carrick hot-seat. “He made a big save last week against Coleraine from a free-kick.

“And, he did it again with that penalty save. There was a long delay before the kick was taken, so his concentration levels had to be spot on.

“We didn’t think it was a penalty in the first place but, thankfully, Ross came up with a big save. We would have felt very hard done-by if we hadn’t taken something from the game.

“You expect to be under a lot of pressure when you come to a place like this. It’s a big pitch, but we set up in a certain way to nullify a lot of their (Glentoran) threat.

“We had some big performers...Seanan Clucas, Joe Crowe and Kyle (Cherry) were magnificent in the middle of the pitch. The back four were excellent and the boys up front worked so hard.

“If you are going to compete in this league, that’s what you need – hard graft and people working together. Everyone has to make sure they do their jobs; do the dirty work and if that happens then you restrict you opponents to very little.”

Glentoran chief Declan Devine felt his team should have been “out of sight” even before the last-gasp penalty award.

“I attach no blame on Jay,” said Devlin. “We shouldn’t have had to rely on that penalty, we should have been out of sight with the chances we missed.

“The game should have been put to bed. It proves, once again, if you don’t take the chances when they are presented to you, then you leave yourself wide open.

“There is no blame on anyone. Collectively, I was disappointed how we moved the ball in the second half. We relinquished control of the game for a 15 or 20-minute period.”

“And, with the experience and the quality Carrick have in their team, they were always going to have a moment in the game and we were punished.”

Baxter admits he’s still feeling his way in his new surroundings, after spending 19 years down the road at Crusaders.

Baxter added: “The boys are working really hard...all I can ask is for honesty, endeavour and hard work.”