WINNING START FOR BAXTER
Stephen Baxter made a successful return to management as he guided his new Carrick Rangers side to victory over Coleraine at Taylor's Avenue.
Nedas Maciulaitis might have opened the scoring early on only to somehow miss from point blank range but the 'Gers didn't have to wait long to find the net when, on ten minutes, Maciulaitis turned provider to send the ball across for Paul Heatley to touch home from six yards.
Danny Gibson came close to doubling the home advantage midway through the first half only to flick the ball wide from a poor Ciaron Harkin clearance, but the 29-year-old made up for that on 37 minutes when he popped up at the back post to tap home another Maciulaitis cross.
The Bannsiders pulled a goal back just before the hour, however, when Jamie Glackin got past the home defence to keep his composure and cool slot beyond Ross Glendinning.
And Dean Shiels' side almost grabbed a late equaliser through substitute Jamie McGonigle who unleashed a powerful free-kick to force Glendinning into a superb fingertip save to turn the ball over the top.
Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Forsythe, Stewart, Maciulaitis, McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston, Clucas, Crowe, Cherry, Heatley, Gibson subs McCauley, Surgenor, Cushley, McGuckin, Allen, Andrews, Given
Coleraine: Little, Jarvis, Boyle, Kelly, Stewart, Campbell, Scott, Shevlin, Murray, Harkin, Glackin subs Brown, Spence, Carse, McGonigle, Gaston, Devine, Smith
Substitution 
Substitution 
