FULL POST-MATCH REACTION: The view of Stuart King after Carrick Rangers' 4-3 Premiership victory over Loughgall

On the game

"They are flying and we had to close the gap today.

"We had a really good result last weekend and had a good week, but football can change really quickly.

"We conceded again early and what a reaction I got in the first-half – I thought we were outstanding.

"I thought our front three caused them a lot of problems, I thought Joe (Crowe) and Cush (David Cushley) got to grips with their midfield and I thought we were phenomenal.

"Yes, we conceded goals, but Nedas (Maciulaitis), Curtis (Allen) and Danny (Purkis) caused them massive problems and at half-time I was very pleased.

“I told them to come out and have a 0-0 second-half but the senior players haven’t taken control of the game and we’ve conceded poor goals, but I still believed we would go on and score more goals and we did.

"We seen it out at the end, but I wasn’t happy at the end – I thought we should have seen it out a lot more comfortably than we did.

"No one has done to Loughgall this season what we did in the first-half, but we should have seen it out a lot easier.”

On game management

"Ben Tilney has been my best player by a million miles in the last two or three years – he is phenomenal.

"He said sorry (for his error for Andrew Hoey’s goal) and he’s a top, top professional.

"Even after that we’re too high. We’re 4-2 up and still chasing balls down in their box and we shouldn’t be doing that.

"Our midfield and senior players should be reeling him in and it’s another learning process for us.

"We’ve seen the amount of late goals they’ve scored and we’ve done a great job today.”

On getting into an attacking mindset after scoring goals

"100%. Ben is a lot better than I was and if I’m on that pitch today I want to score goals!

"I thought we caused them huge problems down the sides.

"Danny has got a lot of credit for scoring goals and today he has made them and Curtis Allen has chipped in with a couple of tap-ins which he has done his whole career.

"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – no team has came here and turned them over like we have today.

"Yes, they had a wee bit of huff and puff at the end, but that was through our mistakes so I’m so happy.”

On Danny Purkis’ form after another two assists against Loughgall

"Danny has been immense all season.

"He’s loving his football like I told him he would when he came.

"Every player and senior pro that has came from a professional club to us has loved their football and they have been massive for us and helped kick us on a wee bit.

"There are still seven clubs better than us at the minute, including Loughgall, who have more points and have done better than us.

"We have to keep level-headed and grounded.

"We’ve had a great week and we need to dig out as many results as we can and keep closing the gap on teams above us.”

On front three gelling magnificently

"They’ve been really good all season.

"There have been times when we’ve played with one centre-forward and two wide players and there have been times when we’ve played two and a one, and I think all three of them deserve huge credit.

"That’s what you get when you sign three really good players.

"Nedas has scored lots of goals at this club (Loughgall), Curtis has scored goals his whole career and Danny has scored goals at every level he has played at and that might be the difference.”

On targeting the top-six after difficult start

"We finished eighth last year with 40 points – all I want is more points than 40.

"If we get more points than 40 then the gap will close.

"I’ve been asked to improve the football club and I think I’ve done that.

"We’re trying to make it better and better and better and that’s my job – to make the players better, make us a better team and make us more professional.

"Hopefully that’s what I’m doing and hopefully we will reap the rewards from it.”