Boro were applauded off the pitch at the Riverside despite falling to a 1-0 defeat to Daniel Farke’s side.
Carrick appreciated the support from the stands and was delighted his players’ efforts were recognised. And he believes the togetherness between the fans and the players can help Boro in the final five games of the season as they push for a place in the play-offs.
“I’d like to think it shows appreciation for the boys’ efforts,” said Boro’s boss.
“There are ways to lose. Sometimes you’re just going to have a bad day when it just doesn’t go to plan. Tonight, the boys give everything and I think everyone could see that.
“We feel we should have got more from the game, and for the supporters to be there and be with us is great.
“It’s easy when you win – everyone claps, everyone supports and the players can enjoy that. But when it’s a setback like tonight, I think it’s still important to recognise each other.
“The challenge now for everyone – me, the players, supporters – is to keep eyes on the job. That positivity at the end still is important for us to carry over as a whole group.”
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Carrick and his players have now turned their attention to another huge game as they prepare to head to Millwall on Saturday.
The Lions have fought their way back into play-off contention and are now just three points behind Boro in the table after their impressive midweek win at Sheffield United.
With the table congested in the battle for two remaining play-off places, all five remaining games for Boro will take on huge importance.
Carrick said: “We’re going to be playing in some big games between now and the end of the season and then hopefully, if we keep doing the right things, beyond that.
“These [Leeds] are the type of games you’ve got to go through – gain the experience, learn from it, learn what it feels like and what it takes to win and how we can flip that little bit in our favour.
“It’s up to us do that – to learn from it and make sure we’re better. Hopefully there will be more big games to come for us to show that and use this as a positive experience. We’ve still got a hell of an opportunity; a big fighting chance.”
