Carrick Rangers head into their next Premiership fixture needing to halt a run of two straight defeats. The team sits sixth in the table with nine points from six games, a position that reflects their inconsistent recent form of two wins and three losses in their last five outings.

Their most recent result was a 3-1 home defeat to Cliftonville on Saturday. Curtis Hawthorne gave Carrick an early lead in the 11th minute, but goals from Kyle McClelland, Ben Quinn and David McMaster turned the game around for the visitors. That followed a 1-0 loss away to Linfield the previous weekend, a match decided by Billy Hall's 55th-minute strike.

Recent results show mixed form

Before those setbacks, Stuart King's side had shown promise with a commanding 4-0 victory at Bangor and a 2-1 win at Limavady United. They began the season with a 1-0 win over Portadown but were beaten 2-0 by Coleraine. This pattern of results leaves Carrick with eight goals scored and seven conceded, giving them a narrow positive goal difference.

Their next league match is away to bottom-placed Portadown on 19 December. Before that, attention turns to a potential meeting with Ballymena United, a fixture that has historically been challenging for Carrick.

Historical challenge against Ballymena

Recent history against Ballymena United makes for difficult reading for Carrick supporters. The sides met in a pre-season friendly on 24 July, where Ballymena ran out 3-0 winners. Last season's league encounters were equally tough, with Ballymena winning both matches 3-2 in April and 2-1 in March. Overcoming this recent record will be a key psychological hurdle.

With the team seven points behind early leaders Coleraine, the importance of converting performances into points is clear. The current standings show a tightly packed mid-table, where a couple of positive results can significantly improve their position. Manager Stuart King will be looking to his squad, to find greater consistency.

The immediate focus is on ending the losing run and building towards the Portadown fixture in December.