With their 1 point advantage in the league table, Ballymena United fans are hoping to see their team collect maximum points from this game against Carrick Rangers.
It’s a hectic schedule for the away team, as they were in action only four days ago in the Premiership. That game, against Cliftonville, was also an away game. It's a tiring schedule for Carrick Rangers.
Ballymena United form and stats
When playing at home in the Premiership, Ballymena United have managed 4 wins, 3 draws and suffered 6 defeats from 13 games. Two defeats in a row at home hurts for Ballymena United, their manager D. Jeffrey and the supporters. There are certain expectations for improvement.
In their previous game, the manager D. Jeffrey led his Ballymena United to a defeat in the Premiership match away at Crusaders. The manager is hoping to put things right immediately here at The Showgrounds. Preceding that match was a defeat to Glenavon (0-3).
The Ballymena United fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 19 in 13 matches. Defensively it’s touch-and-go for the home team as 22 goals have been conceded.
Carrick Rangers form and stats
The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Carrick Rangers so far with only 13 points returning home. The records show 4-1-8 (win-draw-lose). Carrick Rangers has lost their two previous away games and are eager to kill a negative trend in its infancy.
Two away games in a row for Carrick Rangers, who will hope to get a better result in this one after losing 1-3 versus Cliftonville in the Premiership. The game before that, was lost at home, a 1-2 defeat against Warrenpoint Town.
Carrick Rangers are scoring more than one goal per away game on average, having accumulated 15 away goals from 13 games (in the league). Carrick Rangers have conceded 22 goals in these games.
Head 2 Head
The teams have played each other before this season, with the result Ballymena United - Carrick Rangers 1-2 entered in the official records. As for the last ten games between these two teams, there's eight Ballymena United victories, one draw and one Carrick Rangers win. six of these games ended with three goals or more, four matches with two goals or less.Top Goalscorers
  C. Friel 8 goals |  A. McGrory 7 goals |   L. Anderson 4 goals |
Ballymena United missing players
Carrick Rangers missing players
| Ballymena United | Carrick Rangers | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 27 | 13 | 3 | Played | P | 4 | 13 | 27 |
| 8 | 4 | 2 | Won | W | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | Drew | D | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | 6 | 0 | Lost | L | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| 42 | 19 | 8 | Scored | S | 1 | 15 | 31 |
| 46 | 22 | 3 | Conceded | C | 8 | 22 | 43 |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 75% | 92% | 96% |
| 89% | 100% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 50% | 85% | 70% |
| 63% | 77% | 67% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 69% | 59% |
| 30% | 23% | 67% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 50% | 31% | 26% |
| 15% | 15% | 33% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | 11% |
| 67% | 77% | 67% | BTTS | BTTS | 25% | 38% | 37% |
| 11% | 8% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 25% | 31% | 30% |
| 22% | 15% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 75% | 38% | 37% |
| 2.9 | 1.7 | 1 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.7 | 3.5 | 5.2 |
| 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 174 | 73 | 7 | Total Shots | T S | 15 | 95 | 243 |
| 69 | 32 | 4 | Shots on Target | S O | 7 | 46 | 109 |
| 41% | 47% | 125% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 14% | 33% | 28% |
- All of Ballymena United's home-matches have had more than 1,5 goals.
- Ballymena United have conceded at least twice as many corners as they have won at home.
- Ballymena United have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Ballymena United have won significantly less corners at home than away.
- Ballymena United haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
- Carrick Rangers has the fewest points from losing position (0)
- Carrick Rangers have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
- Carrick Rangers have won significantly less corners away then at home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Linfield | 27 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 59 | 22 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 13 | 37 | 57 |
| 2 | Glentoran | 27 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 58 | 28 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 18 | 30 | 56 |
| 3 | Crusaders | 27 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 63 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 11 | 40 | 55 |
| 4 | Coleraine | 27 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 55 | 23 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 14 | 32 | 53 |
| 5 | Cliftonville | 27 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 44 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 11 | 24 | 53 |
| 6 | Larne | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 51 | 29 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 30 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 14 | 22 | 44 |
| 7 | Glenavon | 27 | 9 | 4 | 14 | 41 | 65 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 48 | -24 | 31 |
| 8 | Ballymena United | 27 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 42 | 46 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 24 | -4 | 29 |
| 9 | Carrick Rangers | 27 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 31 | 43 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 16 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | -12 | 28 |
| 10 | Dungannon Swifts | 27 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 30 | 78 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 37 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 41 | -48 | 22 |
| 11 | Warrenpoint Town | 27 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 19 | 76 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 36 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 40 | -57 | 16 |
| 12 | Institute | 27 | 2 | 8 | 17 | 20 | 60 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 33 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 27 | -40 | 14 |