Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter praised his team's effort after a 2-0 home defeat to Coleraine, despite the loss ending their three-game winning streak. The match, which saw Coleraine secure their first victory of the season, exposed defensive vulnerabilities as Joel Cooper and Ben Doherty scored the goals. Baxter admitted hesitation in midfield led to the opening goal, citing Aidan Steele's missed opportunity. 'We hesitated in the midfield and I think Aidan called for it and then didn't go for it because he thought someone else was closer,' Baxter said. The manager acknowledged the team's determination to fight back, with substitutions aimed at finding an equalizer. 'We didn't lie down...we came at them in waves,' he noted, despite conceding a second goal after poor control and Coleraine's pace. Baxter also addressed the absence of Paul Heatley and Adam Lecky, calling them 'top, top players' whose absence reduced attacking threat. 'Billy Joe Burns and Joe Crowe came in to play their first games...I thought the two of them were excellent today,' he said, praising the team's defensive setup against Coleraine's 'multi-million pound team.' Baxter emphasized the challenge of facing Coleraine, stating, 'You can see that and you have to be alive to deal with the threats they have across their team.' He concluded, 'I thought we did it very, very well and I thought our team coped with it very well today and there wasn't a lot in it.'