Soccer

Currie praises belief in Carrick Rangers squad after stunning win at Crusaders

Carrick's Caolan Loughran celebrates after making it 3-1 from the penalty spot during Saturday's game at Seaview Picture by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker
Carrick's Caolan Loughran celebrates after making it 3-1 from the penalty spot during Saturday's game at Seaview Picture by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Carrick's Caolan Loughran celebrates after making it 3-1 from the penalty spot during Saturday's game at Seaview Picture by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker

Danske Bank Premiership: Crusaders 1 Carrick Rangers 3

CARRICK Rangers manager Niall Currie has said the belief instilled in his players by their recent draw with Linfield enabled them to take all three points from Seaview on Saturday.

Currie’s men dragged themselves off the foot of the Irish League table thanks to Saturday’s shock victory, which came hot on the heels of a win at Dungannon Swifts, who have they leapfrogged on goal difference, and that draw against league leaders Linfield.

"It's a results-based business as we all know, but our performances were really good against Dungannon and Linfield so the boys have a wee bit of confidence about themselves and a wee bit of belief,” the Carrick boss told the BBC after Saturday’s win.

"If you can get a fully-deserved point off Linfield on a cold Tuesday night then you've got to come to places like this here and believe in yourselves.”

Jonny Frazer was the catalyst for the win on the Shore Road, with the striker, who is on-loan from Glentoran, bagging a double to also put a dent in Crusaders’ title hopes.

Just more than 10 minutes in, Frazer fired past Jonny Tuffey after Cathair Friel flicked on Chris Ramsey's cross. The forward added a second in the 50th minute when he latched on to Kyle Cherry's through ball and flicked the ball past Tuffey.

Philip Lowry got a goal back for the Crues with 15 minutes left, but Caolan Loughran netted an 88th-minute penalty after Jordan Forsythe had been sent-off to put the seal on a famous victory.

"I think it showed today that we had a real threat and when we had to defend, we were super but when we broke we had pace, we made the right decisions,” Currie added.

"Ultimately, it has taken us some time to get a fully fit Jonny Frazer this season and we had Alex Gawne back today and with Jordan Jenkins and Cathair Friel, it certainly gives us what we regard as four threats.

"It makes a big difference in the final third of the pitch and our midfield and back five today were superb. We battled hard in midfield but we created good chances as well and I have nothing but praise for the boys.

"When you come to Seaview, most times you're expecting your keeper to have a real busy afternoon but we travelled with the ball well, our phases and link-up play were good and we carried a real threat in behind and had Crusaders on the back foot.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Portadown struck late at Shamrock Park to deny Cliftonville all three points. Rory Hale had pounced on the hour mark to put Paddy McLaughlin’s men in front and they looked to be leaving Portadown with a win until Adam McCallum glanced home a header in the 89th-minute from Ben Tilney's corner.

Larne took advantage of the postponement of Linfield’s game at Ballymena to move within two points of the league leaders with a 3-0 win over Dungannon. Mark Randall hit an excellent opener after just nine minutes at Inver Park before Swifts captain Douglas Wilson put the ball in his own net seven minutes after the restart to double Larne's lead. Martin Donnelly secured the victory on 72 minutes with a well-struck free-kick.

The fixtures between Glentoran and Coleraine at the Oval and Warrenpoint and Glenavon at Milltown were also called off due to the wintry weather.