Stephen Baxter feels Carrick Rangers defeat to Larne decided on 'two very fine margins'

The Inver Reds took a lead through Matty Lusty with the striker slamming home shortly after Carrick felt they’d earned a corner.

Larne doubled their advantage in the closing stages when Dan Bent pounced on a Nathan Gartside error to tap in from close range following a corner.

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

THOUGHTS ON THE MATCH?

"The game was decided on two very fine margins.

"We were fairly sure that it was a corner kick to us down at this bottom end of the pitch. Danny (Gibson) heads the ball against the lad. We weren't sure if it was a handball, the worst case scenario was a corner.

"The referee gives Larne the ball and they break up the pitch and score a goal, so that's the disappointment and it's the fine margins because Larne weren't in our area threatening as they had a lot of the ball in their own half, which we allowed them to have.

"But they didn't really threaten us and we were very well set up here today. We had a couple of chances of our own which we just didn't manage to take.

"So I think Larne were very pleased to see the final whistle because the second goal came as a bit of a fluke...we've come here and played very well.”

DEFENSIVELY VERY SOLID – ONE MOMENT DIFFERENCE IN FIRST HALF?

"We were the team in the second half that was on the front foot. In the last 20 minutes we were really good.

"To come up against a full-time team in Larne who play so well and are going to be in the mix here trying to win the league this year, we've come in and given a good account of ourselves.

"So you have to be pleased with the performance level. Some outstanding performances in our team today, but it's still not enough to get over the line and that's a disappointment.”

HAPPY WITH THE RESPONSE AFTER HALF-TIME?

"I was delighted with the response.

"We were magnificent, we carried the threat, we were pushing up at all moments of opportunity and also making sure that we were well covered.

"So we've played very well here today. Take nothing away from the performance, but it's still not enough.

"We haven't done enough, but the performance level will please me when I reflect on it and that's something to take a great deal of pride in.”

POSITIVES TO TAKE FORWARD?

"Larne are a full-time team with a huge budget, a large crowd, well set-up, so for a team that is new in its formation in many ways as regards to the team that I'm trying to produce and compete with the full-time teams is difficult given the huge gulf in the budgets.

"But there wasn't a big deal between those two teams today.”

TAKE THAT INTO OTHER GAMES AGAINST FULL-TIME TEAMS?

"I think you've got to take every game on its merits around where teams are at and find ways to compete.

"That's going to be the thing in Irish League football in the next four or five years – where teams are financially, player-wise and then how you then compete in that and find yourself in that.

"Are we going to find ourselves with a top four, middle four, bottom four? That type of thing.

"So once you get through the first 11 games, you get a chance to see everybody, see where they're all at, what they're doing, how they're doing it and then you're trying to find your way in that.

"It's a new team we're building and you have to take your time from my end to look at it all and see where our strengths lie and our weaknesses of course. It's a smaller squad and just make sure you're competing in whatever way you can.”

GREAT TO SEE PAUL HEATLEY MAKING A RECOVERY?

"Paul's at home and we're all delighted about that.

"It was very, very scary last weekend, one that I was very worried about over the weekend. The staple stitches came out after coming home from hospital, they actually came out and he had to go back and get it redone.

"It was a very large gaping wound and we were all terribly concerned about it, worried about his neck.

"When you hit a board at that speed, any neck and head injury is a real worry. But thankfully the doctors are pleased about all of that and happy to let him home.

"So he's had a week – I think he needed to take a week off to recover from all of this. We haven't seen him. So we'll maybe see him hopefully next week and see how he's getting on.”