CARRICK KEEP EURO PLAY-OFF FIRES BURNING
Carrick Rangers kept up their hopes of securing a European play-off spot with victory over Ballymena United at the Loughview Leisure Arena.
The scoreless first half produced few efforts of note, with Rangers coming closest on 36 minutes when Ben Tilney's 25-yard right-foot drive produced a diving save from Sean O'Neill while Johnny McMurray fired narrowly over soon after at the other end.
After the break Alex Gawne created the best chance of the game so far when he fired just wide of the far post from the left side of the area, followed by a Calvin McCurry header that Ross Glendinning did well to keep out.
However the deadlock was eventually broken just after the hour when Tilney latched onto Steven Gordon's pass to move into the box and send a powerful effort into the bottom corner.
And Carrick doubled their advantage on 77 minutes through Danny Gibson after he went down the right before sending a strike beyond O'Neill into the top corner.
The visitors bagged a stoppage time consolation through substitute Noah Stewart's strong strike from distance but it wasn't enough to salvage anything from the game.
Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Forsythe, Watson, Gordon, Cushley, Allen, Crowe, Cherry, Gibson, Teelan, Tilney subs McCauley, Mitchell, McGuckin, Maciulaitis, MacKinnon, Buchanan-Rolleston, Arnold
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Nelson, Whiteside, Gawne, McCullough, Taylor, McMurray, Boyle, Brown, Barr, McCurry subs Johnston, Rocks, McGrory, Tennant, Robinson, Stewart, McCallion
Substitution 
Substitution 
