Relieved David Healy: we're a long way back but we have to finish as high up table as possible

“It was a good goal, Kurtis finished it well,” said Healy. “It was a great bit of play by young Ryan Strain to create the goal - and that pleased me.

“Sometimes you make decisions and they don’t work. But I though we needed a little spark and young Rooster provided it. He’s a local boy from Carrick, so he was well chuffed.

“It was a great ball in and a great contact from Kurtis. Although we were running out of time, we always had hope. The pitch was poor and I don’t mean to be disrespectful to Carrick ... it is what it is.

“We are relieved to get the three points. Does it mean we are going to win the league title? Probably not. But we are now in a better position.

“It’s a long way back, but it’s important to pick points up at place like Carrick. It will be the same again against Warrenpoint at the weekend.

“We just have to take one game at at time. If we are not going to win the league, but we have to finish as high up the table as possible.”

And Rangers boss David McAlinden admitted he was pleased with his team’s efforts and thought they deserved a draw.

“We were undone by a bit of quality in the end,” he said.

“We had a great chance at the other end when Roy (Carroll) gave the ball to Andy Mooney. If that goes in, it’s a different game. We would have something to hold on to.

“I have an honest bunch of players and I can’t fault them for effort and commitment. We’ll get better, make no mistake about that.

“I seem to say the same thing after every game. If we can add a bit more quality at the top of the pitch, we’ll be fine.

“It will change. I know that. We have brought 15 or 16 players in at the start of the season. We started quite well, but went off the boil in terms of results.

“It’s been disappointing. We are not the top of team to sit and feel sorry for ourselves. We are determined to play football.”