Stephen Baxter 'tribute' as Carrick Rangers survive drop but now must 'work incredibly hard'

Carrick brushed aside the challenge of Championship runners-up Annagh United over two legs on an aggregate win tally of 8-3 to protect Premiership status via the promotion/relegation play-off path.

It is a journey of a different kind Baxter now has in mind following his arrival last October as Carrick manager on a three-year contract.

"Listen, we've a lot of catching up to do in the league we're in and we need to work incredibly hard behind the scenes to get to where we need to get to and that starts now,” said Baxter on the official club social media platforms after watching Carrick follow on Tuesday’s 5-2 away win with home success over Annagh by 3-1 on Friday as Danny Gibson and Paul Heatley split the Rangers goals over the two legs. "It's not going to be easy, it's a very competitive world out there - financially and otherwise.

"Others are moving ahead of us with all of that and we need to find our place in all of this...and we will.

"But it's been brilliant to see so many faithful Carrick supporters out in huge numbers here tonight, supporting the team, roaring the team on to that success we asked for on Tuesday night.

"And I want to pay tribute to them...it was their strength of character and resolve that seen us through tonight and I thank them for it.

"There's lots to do...you've always got to assess your squad, all the things that the players can bring to you.

"There's so much goes into all of this, about building a squad capable of competing at the level we're working to, can they cope with the levels? And then working with the finances that you have to deal with all of that.

"But it is a serious rebuild for us and it's going to take a lot of thought, a lot of big hearts to move into this new era. But we're all behind it, thinking through what we want and need as a football club and we'll get there but by pure hard work.

"We need to have that drive, that determination, that enthusiasm to do that and if we all go together we'll be okay."

Gibson’s treble and a brace by Heatley secured first-leg success and the latter’s double arrived either side of the former’s finish on Friday, with James Convie’s fine strike a consolation as Annagh suffered a third loss at the Premiership promotion/relegation play-off stage.

"I'm so very proud of all the players, the fans who have turned up here, the Board of Directors who have worked tirelessly to try and pull those whole thing together,” said Baxter. "And to get it to culminate into the finish that we've produced over two games is brilliant for the football club. Because this wasn't just a football game...this was the weight of a football club with their existence on the line. You really have to battle so very, very hard in these games to make sure you stay alive and in the division."

He added: "But the work only starts now. This was always going to be about surviving...we managed to bring them all together at the right time.”