Saturday 11th December 2021
3pm Kick Off
On Saturday we make our second visit of the season to the Loughview Leisure Arena.
Carrick have played just seven league fixtures since the sides last met at Loughview Leisure Arena at the end of October. Unfortunately for Stuart King’s men, good results have been hard to come by; while they did manage a win away to Ballymena United and a credible scoreless home draw with Coleraine, they have lost four of their last five games, with home defeats to fellow strugglers Warrenpoint Town and Dungannon Swifts particularly concerning.
Former Glentoran goalkeeper Aaron Hogg has recently returned to the side after injury, but defender Lee McNulty remains out long term after the horror leg break he suffered earlier in the season at Glenavon. Former Glentoran trio Steven Gordon, Corey McMullan and Dan Kelly have also been missing recently. Scoring goals has become a major issue; with only fourteen goals from seventeen games, Rangers have the second lowest total in the league, only one better off than bottom club Warrenpoint.
Glentoran have not lost an away game against Carrick since Rangers first return to the IPL in 2011. In the eleven games played, Glentoran have won seven and there have been four draws. After scoring five times in the first half back in March, the game in October was a closer affair. Although Jay Donnelly had given the Glens the lead in the first half, we had to work hard to see off Rangers challenge and it took an exquisite strike from Conor McMenamin on the hour to seal the three points.
Mick McDermott: “Carrick gave us a tough game there a few weeks ago and it took a very special goal to make the game safe for us. We expect the same on Saturday as with the team Stuart has built and the players he’s brought in they have the quality and ability to put anyone under pressure at their home venue. They also did very well to hold Linfield scoreless at the National Stadium until a penalty in the 80th minute gave them the breakthrough. So they’re not a team anyone should underestimate.
We’re going there on a good run, but we know a good run doesn’t guarantee anything in the next game. But we’ll be looking to put in another strong performance and pick up the three points. We’re going with a fully fit squad apart from the three long term absentees.”
