Larne beat Carrick Rangers 5:2 in the Premiership regular season on Saturday, a result that leaves the visitors third on 16 points after six games and drops the hosts down to eighth with 10 points from eight matches. The scoreline was never really in doubt once P. O'Neill found his rhythm early on.
He struck twice in quick succession at 15 and 20 minutes, putting Larne ahead before Carrick had settled into their shape. D. Bent then converted a penalty at 38 minutes and D. Gibson added another just before the break at 45+1, followed by a further goal at 45+3 that left the home side flat-footed. Carrick had their own moment at 47 minutes with a yellow card, but the damage was done.
And here's the thing — we had called for a visitors' win with 56 per cent confidence before kickoff, and the game played out exactly as the form suggested. Larne had won five of six, Carrick had lost four of eight. The prediction held, not because of luck but because the teams' trajectories were already set.
Larne extended their lead at 69 minutes through P. O'Neill's second brace, then Carrick's J. Crowe picked up a second yellow at 53 minutes before being sent off at 81 minutes. Bent made it 5:2 from the spot at the same minute, and M. Lusty came off for the hosts at 62 minutes in what looked like a tactical shift that came too late.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Carrick had 91 attacks compared to Larne's 84, but the visitors registered 10 shots on target to the hosts' seven. Possession was evenly shared, which in this context means neither side controlled the tempo for long stretches. Carrick took 10 corners, Larne only four — a reminder that territory doesn't always translate to chances.
The result puts Larne firmly in contention at the top end of the table, while Carrick now face a run of fixtures that will test whether they can recover from this kind of afternoon. Eight points separate them from the leaders, and the gap is closing fast for the visitors.
