Stephen Baxter relishing challenge of competing in ever-changing Irish League landscape

For the second consecutive weekend, Baxter’s side will travel to a full-time outfit in Coleraine following last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to rivals Larne.

The ‘Gers made a stunning start to the new campaign, winning each of their opening three Premiership matches before picking up a point away to unbeaten leaders Glentoran – becoming the first team to deny Declan Devine’s men victory.

They’ve since lost two on the spin, following up a narrow home defeat against Cliftonville with a loss at neighbours Larne, and make a trip to The Showgrounds sitting seventh.

Coleraine, who switched to a fully professional model ahead of last season, are one of four full-time teams currently plying their trade in Northern Ireland’s top-flight alongside champions Linfield, Larne and Glentoran.

Others could soon be heading in that direction with Cliftonville mulling over a potential takeover from the Toronto Investment Group while recent reports suggest Crusaders could be about to consider outside investment.

It creates a stern challenge for part-time clubs, but Carrick chief Baxter insists his side will be looking to compete in whatever way possible.

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

"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 (last weekend).”

Baxter is delighted to see Irish League legend Paul Heatley on the road to full recovery after the winger suffered a nasty head injury in their fixture against Bangor earlier this month.

Heatley collided with a perimeter wall surrounding the Taylors Avenue pitch and was transported to hospital before being discharged later that evening.

"It was very, very scary, one that I was very worried about over (last) weekend,” he added. “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.”