Hat-trick hero Gibson 'absolutely lethal' - Baxter

Danny Gibson's hat-trick saw Carrick Rangers take a giant step towards Irish Premiership safety as Stephen Baxter's side beat Annagh United 5-2 in the first leg of the promotion/relegation play-off.

After the game BBC Sport NI caught up with both managers.

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter on Gibson's hat-trick: "He was absolutely lethal, that's Danny.

"If you put the ball in the right areas for him, he'll run on and score that goal, and tonight he found those spaces and was a handful all night, but that's the type of player Danny is.

"He has been playing well the last number of games. What I know Danny to be is that he has power and aggression, and if he gets a sight of the goal, he'll score."

On the performance of his side: "I'm very pleased. I'm probably disappointed if I'm honest that we didn't add to the five and with the two we conceded, but that's always the case around a manager - we will always pick out faults.

"It's only half-time, you can't get carried away with it. You're up the road with a 3-0 lead and you've to finish the job off on Friday night. That's what this game's all about, you've got to find a way through, and it's far from over."

Annagh United's Ciaran McGurgan on his side's defensive performance: "We are really, really disappointed. What we've done well all season defensively, we have the most clean sheets in the league, we didn't do this evening.

"I thought tonight we were well off it, it was a car crash at times. That's the most disappointing thing.

"The things we've done well to get results to get us here tonight, we didn't do, and Carrick punished us every time it went forward in the first half."

On the approach to the second leg: "It's only half-time, and yes, unfortunately, we are three goals down, but you get an early goal, and that changes things and gives you belief and momentum.

"They have to believe that they can go out on Friday night and give a good account of themselves and get themselves back in it."