First chance of the game goes to way of the hosts as Ben Cushnie latches onto a Lewis Harrison through ball, but the onrushing Chris Johns stands tall and denies Cushnie with an outstretched leg.

That's a big chance for the Seasiders.

Jordan Gibson registers the first effort of the afternoon, shifting the ball onto his left before driving one from the edge of the area, but it’s straight at Nathan Gartside, who gathers comfortably.

Coleraine have settled quickly into their stride, bossing possession in the early stages.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Ballymena have started brightly with midfielder Aaron Jarvis having a couple of early sights of goal, including a shot deflected narrowly wide.

Coleraine's Joel Cooper gets us under way on a dry, cold afternoon in north Belfast.

The two teams met here in the second week of the season when they conspired to produce a forgettable scoreless draw.

Let's hope for better this afternoon.

We’re under way at Taylors Avenue, a ground that Carrick has turned into a nightmare for the Ports in recent years.

Can Niall Currie’s men flip that script this afternoon?

Let's find out.

Referee Michael McKenna starts the action at a sunny Showgrounds.

We're under way at Clandeboye Park for the second meeting of these two sides in north Down this season.

David Healy's side ran out comfortable winners back in September, with Lee Feeney, who is now Bangor's longest serving manager, looking for revenge over the champions.

Which way will this one go?

Tiernan Lynch
Derry City manager and former Larne boss on BBC Radio Ulster

I think anybody who has ruled out Linfield or doesn't think Linfield will have a huge hand in this league title race have another think coming.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

I think why Coleraine are doing so well [is] because Cooper is playing so well and that is rubbing off on the other players.

There is a real feel-good factor and there is a buzz.

Bangor welcome Linfield to Clandeboye Park looking to end a five-game winless run in the Irish Premiership.

A victory for the Seasiders would see them jump above David Healy's side, but they will have to record just a second win in history over the south Belfast side.

The Blues were victorious in the first meeting of the two sides back in September, running out 3-0 winners in Bangor.

Seasiders boss Lee Feeney makes two changes from his side's 1-1 draw with Portadown last weekend. Patrick Solis Grogan replaces Gareth Deane in goal after sustaining an injury in the warm up, with Stephen McGuinness also coming in for Jay Boyd.

David Healy on the other hand makes three changes from his side that drew 1-1 with league leaders Coleraine a fortnight ago.

Scot Whiteside, Josh Archer and Chris McKee come in with Kieran Offord absent and Ethan McGee and Ben Hall missing through suspension.

Bangor: Solis Grogan, Neale, Haughey, Harrison, Hassin, Mulvenna, Arthurs, Cushnie, Lynch, Francis, McGuinness.

Subs: McMahon, Owens, Garrett, Boyd, Morgan, Burns, Mitchell.

Linfield: Johns, Roscoe, Whitside, Millar, McClean, McKee, Archer, Brown, Baird, Fitzpatrick, McCullough.

Subs: Walsh, Gorin, Allen, Yats, Taylor, Graham, Jermakovas.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sean Ward
BBC Sport NI pundit

Linfield have struggled against teams that they would hope they would win against.

They have drawn a lot of games and that has been a challenge for them.

The hosts resume league duties on the back of their penalty shoot-out win over Larne in the County Antrim Shield, and Stephen Baxter opts for a double change.

Scott Pengelly and Ben Buchanan-Rolleston both drop to the bench, with Nathan Gartside returning in goal and Ryan McKay stepping into the Gers' backline.

Niall Currie will be hoping his side can return to winning ways and makes a solitary change to the Ports team that 1-1 draw with Bangor.

Luke Wilson misses out this afternoon, with Jordan Gibson drafted in against his former side.

Carrick Rangers: Gartside, Callacher, Waide, D. Gibson, Lecky, McCullough, Crowe, Heatley, Snoddy, McKay, Scott.

Subs: Pengelly, Burns, Steele, Buchanan-Rolleston, Cherry, Glendinning, McCawl.

Portadown: McCarey, Ismala, Altintop, MacKinnon, Chapman, Wylie, McCullough, J. Gibson, Fyfe, Teelan, Thompson.

Subs: Moore, Ukek, Mayse, Tabu McCartan, Annett, Quinn.

Image source, BBC Sport

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

O'Connor knows the weakness they [Glenavon] have.

I think he has made a very good start. Maybe didn't have the best of luck last night, but they are playing with a confidence.

I wouldn't rule out Glenavon getting out of this, if they shut the back door.

Ballymena have had to wait a fortnight to play since they ended a four-game losing streak by winning at Bangor.

Manager Jim Ervin makes one change from that game with Joel Thompson replacing Kym Nelson. Former Scotland international Dylan McGeouch is in line to make his debut from the bench.

Suspension deprives Crusaders boss Declan Caddell of the services of the league's leading goalscorer Frazer Bryden who, alongside his four-goal salvo, collected his fifth yellow card of the campaign in last week's 4-1 win over Glenavon. He is replaced by Finley Thorndike in the Crues' only change from that game.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Toure, Gould, O'Donnell, Clarke, Thompson, Jarvis McEleney, Corbally, McCurry, Edogun.

Subs: Breen, Lafferty, O'Reilly, McGeouch, McCallion, Taylor, Hood.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Forsythe, Odhran McCart, O'Rourke, Hamilton, Williamson, Anderson, Thorndike, Clarke, Dunlop, Brooks.

Subs: Dibaga, Blaney, Easton, Forsythe, Nixon, Olibhear McCart, Donnelly.

Image source, BBC Sport

The league leaders make a second visit of the season to Solitude, hoping to improve on a dismal record at the north Belfast venue.

It's going on five years since the Bannsiders left here with maximum points, a James McLaughlin double securing a 2-0 win in December 2020.

However, they face a rejuvenated home side who are unbeaten in their last three games and who could climb into the top half of the table with victory this afternoon.

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton makes just the one change to the team which defeated Dungannon Swifts 2-0 in their last outing two weeks ago as Conor Pepper replaces the suspended Harry Wilson.

Bannsiders' boss Ruaidhri Higgins makes three changes to the side which started the 1-1 draw with Linfield at Windsor Park a fortnight ago.

Levi Ives is missing through injury, Lyndon Kane and Zane Okoro drop to the bench with Dean Jarvis, Lewis McGregor and Rowan McDonald stepping up.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Pepper, Lavery, Addis, Hale (c), Curran, Casey, Keaney, McWoods, Hawthorne, Sheridan.

Subs: Ridd, Falls, Bermingham, Leppard, Gormley, Barr, Glynn.

Coleraine: Harris, Jarvis, Boyle, Lyons-Foster (c), McGregor, Patching, Shevlin, Cooper, Glackin, Dunne, McDonald.

Subs: Webb, Kane, Doherty, Stewart, Okoro, McManus, Devlin.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sean Ward
BBC Sport NI pundit

I have no doubt that, over time, with the quality of players that are there, Glentoran will be able to turn this around.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser

There is no doubt that Glentoran are going through a rough time.

However, Rodney [McAree] had Dungannon well set up and I thought they nullified anything that Glentoran had to offer.

With the remaining eight teams in action today here's how the league table sits.

Coleraine will be hoping to keep top spot, with a win at Solitude this afternoon.

Image source, BBC Sport

Larne manager Gary Haveron hailed match-winner Conor McKendry following his side's 2-1 win over Glenavon at Inver Park, but still feels some officials have a "preconceived notion" about the winger.

McKendry showed great composure to net what proved to be the winner in the 77th minute to complete the turnaround after Glenavon had led at the break.

Despite his delight at how his team turned things around, Haveron still believes McKendry gets a raw deal when it comes to being awarded free-kicks.

"I genuinely don't know what this lad has to do to get a free-kick in this league," the Larne boss told BBC Sport NI.

"Some people seem to have a preconceived notion about him where he doesn't get a decision. I'm not saying everything is a stonewall foul, but you can't not give one decision against the kid.

"I see this week in and week out. We've got to protect players like Conor McKendry and players like that.

"It's frustrating for him but what he does do is come up for us in big moments and produced another classy finish."

Image source, Pacemaker