A superb double block in front of goal by Carrick old boy Mervyn Pattison prevented Darren McNamee and Gareth Bond opening the scoring for the hosts during a goalmouth scramble.

Doherty was clinical in the 44th minute, drilling low into the net after Steven McQuillan's mazy run opened up the Rangers rearguard for Cook to provide the final ball.

The woodwork came to Rangers' rescue a minute after the re-start when Bond got his co-ordinates wrong with an attempted clearance from Stewart McCallum's long throw and sent a back header crashing against the crossbar.

Fortunately for Carrick Bond got it right when McCallum latched on to the end of an Owens corner to steer a diving header goal-bound before the young midfielder hooked clear to deny the visitors a greater winning margin.