Ballymena United know they will have a grim journey to Carrick Rangers and their Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena. This preview has all the data you need ahead of the match.
- Carrick Rangers have the fewest scored goals in the first half (4) in Premiership
- Ballymena United have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.
It's no vacation for neither Carrick Rangers nor Ballymena United as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.
Carrick Rangers form and stats
The home fans haven’t been spoiled with victories in the Premiership this season. Carrick Rangers have only managed 3 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses from their games here at Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena. With nine home Premiership games in a row without a win, the Carrick fans could feel they are not getting value for their money. It remains to be seen whether this unfortunate streak, which started after the Ballymena United game long ago, can be stopped today.
Carrick Rangers are returning here after visiting Coleraine and winning with a 0-3 scoreline. An away draw last time out for Carrick Rangers, facing Coleraine in a game that ended 0-3. Carrick Rangers are hoping to put things right at home after a defeat in their previous match, the score 0-3 away versus Coleraine.
Before that game, the 2-2 home victory against Glenavon. The spoils were shared after 90 minutes before that, a home game that ended 2-2 versus Glenavon. Preceding that match was a defeat to Glenavon (2-2).There will be little rest for Carrick Rangers after this match as they are travelling to Dungannon Swifts for a Premiership game in only four days.
Carrick Rangers aren't scoring a lot here at Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena in the league, with only 9 goals from 12 games. Carrick have conceded 20 from these games.
Ballymena United form and stats
There's been little loot from Ballymena United's travels as they have only collected 12 points from 12 away games in the Premiership. Ballymena United only have 4 wins to counter their 8 defeats and 0 draws. With two straight losses from their last two away games, Ballymena United are hoping that it's time for some travel points again.
There were no winners in Ballymena's previous match, the home game that ended 1-0 vs Warrenpoint Town (placed 12th). Ballymena United failed to get anything from their last game, a home match vs Warrenpoint Town (placed 12th) that ended with defeat 1-0. Ballymena United had fun at their own home (Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena) last time out, beating Warrenpoint Town 1-0. Millar scored.
Ahead of that match was the victory versus Linfield at their stadium, the result 0-1. Ahead of that match was the away draw versus Linfield that ended 0-1. Preceding that game, the 0-1 loss visiting Linfield's place.After this away game Ballymena United return home for a Premiership game against Cliftonville. That game is only three sleeps after this.
Many goals are not expected from the visiting Ballymena United as they have only managed to score 9 times from 12 away games in the league. As for defending, Ballymena United rarely keep clean sheets as they have conceded 19 goals from these away matches. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only 2 of these goals has been conceded in their last three away matches.
Head 2 Head
The fixture lists shows this result when the sides played each other previously this season; Ballymena United - Carrick Rangers 0-1. As for the last ten games between these two teams, there's four Carrick victories, zero draws and six Ballymena United wins. Over/under statistics; four of these games ended with three goals or more, six matches with two goals or less.Top Goalscorers
  P. McElroy 6 goals |  J. Gibson 4 goals | K. Kane 4 goals |
Carrick Rangers missing players
Ballymena United missing players
| Carrick Rangers | Ballymena United | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 23 | 12 | 4 | Played | P | 4 | 12 | 23 |
| 5 | 3 | 0 | Won | W | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | 7 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 8 | 11 |
| 17 | 9 | 3 | Scored | S | 6 | 9 | 26 |
| 37 | 20 | 8 | Conceded | C | 3 | 19 | 30 |
| 87% | 92% | 75% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 74% | 75% | 75% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 75% | 58% | 61% |
| 52% | 58% | 75% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 50% | 48% |
| 22% | 17% | 50% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 17% | 17% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | 9% |
| 30% | 42% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 50% | 33% | 35% |
| 30% | 25% | 25% | Clean Sheets | C S | 50% | 25% | 30% |
| 52% | 42% | 50% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 42% | 35% |
| 4.8 | 5.1 | 5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| 4.5 | 4.5 | 7 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 6.2 | 7.6 | 6.3 |
| 1.6 | 1.3 | 1 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | 7.3 | 6.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 8 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| 2.7 | 2.9 | 3 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.8 | 2.1 | 3 |
| 22% | 26% | 25% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 40% | 36% | 38% |
| 8.3 | 8 | 8 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 6.5 | 9.1 | 9.4 |
| 4.5 | 4.5 | 6 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 2.2 | 4 | 4.3 |
- Ballymena United have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.
- Ballymena United have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
- Ballymena United haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
- Carrick Rangers have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored.
- Carrick Rangers have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Carrick Rangers have the fewest scored goals in the first half (4) in Premiership
| 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 | 23 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 43 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 7 | 32 | 52 |
| 2 | Glentoran | 23 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 46 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 8 | 22 | 49 |
| 3 | Cliftonville | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 18 | 47 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 39 |
| 5 | Larne | 23 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 39 | 27 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 12 | 38 |
| 6 | Coleraine | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 33 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 16 | 34 |
| 7 | Ballymena United | 23 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 26 | 30 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 19 | -4 | 34 |
| 8 | Glenavon | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 29 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 14 | -3 | 26 |
| 9 | Dungannon Swifts | 23 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 31 | 58 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 32 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 26 | -27 | 22 |
| 10 | Carrick Rangers | 23 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 37 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 | -20 | 20 |
| 11 | Portadown | 23 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 49 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 31 | -28 | 13 |
| 12 | Warrenpoint Town | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 50 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 33 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 17 | -33 | 8 |
