Loughgall manager Dean Smith confessed to “mixed emotions” after his bottom-placed side’s goalless Irish Premiership draw with fellow strugglers Carrick Rangers.
Smith felt Loughgall were the “better team” over the 90 minutes but there was also a sense of relief after his goalkeeper Nathan Gartside saved two second-half Carrick penalties.
“Disappointed we didn’t win but also delighted that we got a point given that we had two penalties given against us,” Smith told BBC Sport NI.
“We created good opportunities. We got into the final third a lot but if I’m being totally honest, we probably never worked their goalkeeper as much as we would have liked given the opportunities that we had.”
Smith also felt his side should have been awarded a “stonewall penalty” in the closing moments of the game for a challenge on substitute Jay Boyd.
“Given what he [the referee] has just given, I think that’s a penalty all day long,” added the Loughgall boss.
“I don’t think there was a bad tackle in the game but again it ends up with six or seven bookings. It is a contact sport. We are allowed contact in it and not every contact is a foul.”