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Ballymena United vs Crusaders Live Stream, Predictions
Crusaders arrive at Ballymena Showgrounds on Saturday for the Premiership fixture with home team Ballymena United.
View all Ballymena United v Crusaders tips, stats and our pre-match poll below including the latest game odds.
📊 Form Guide
Ballymena United
LLLDLL 📉
Ballymena United will be looking for an improved result here following a 2-0 Premiership defeat last time out to Linfield.
Kyle McClean (55') and Matthew Fitzpatrick (78') scored for Linfield.
A common feature of recent Ballymena United games is the number of results with a nil in them.
From their previous six clashes before this one, in as many as 5 of them a wager on "Both Teams to Score" would have lost. That sort of trend isn’t assured to be sustained into this next game, of course.
Looking at the pre-match facts, Ballymena United:
- have not emerged victorious against Crusaders in their previous 3 league matches.
- have not won at home in their last 3 league matches.
Crusaders
LLLDWW 🌤
Crusaders head into the encounter after a 2-0 Premiership win to defeat Glenavon in their previous match.
For Crusaders, the goalscorers were Jude Winchester (10') and Ben Kennedy (54').
Throughout their 6 previous matches, Stephen Baxter's Crusaders have slotted home 6 times, yielding them the goals per game average of 1.
Taking a look at their past results, Crusaders:
- haven't been defeated by Ballymena United when they have played them away from home in the previous 2 matches in the league.
- are undefeated in their last 2 away league matches.
🤜🤛 Head to head
Inspecting their prior head-to-head clashes dating back to 23/09/2022 shows us that Ballymena United have won 1 of these & Crusaders 4, with the number of drawn games being 1.
A sum of 12 goals were shared by the two clubs during those clashes, with 2 from Sky Blues and 10 created by The Hatchetmen. That’s an average goals per game figure of 2.
The previous league clash between these sides was Premiership match day 12 on 13/10/2023 and the score finished Crusaders 1-0 Ballymena United.
The match was refereed by Keith Kennedy.
📰 Team News: Ballymena United
Almost everyone can be considered, as there’s just the sole fitness concern for the Ballymena United gaffer Jim Ervin to be concerned with from of an almost fully healthy squad. Colin Coates (Knee surgery) won’t play.
📰 Team News: Crusaders
Crusaders manager Stephen Baxter has not got a full squad to pick from. Jimmy Callacher (Cruciate ligament tear) and Josh Robinson (Cruciate ligament injury) are names that won’t be on the team sheet.
💡 Prediction
We’re envisaging that Ballymena United may well find it hard to get anything against this Crusaders team who will likely score at least once to gain the upper hand.
We’re therefore tipping a good battle with a 0-1 advantage for Crusaders at full-time.
Will be interesting to see how this one goes.
Our expert partners are tipping under 3.5 goals for this match. Check out their VIP predictions here.
Victor Martins, 14:05 09/03/2024
🏟️ Team Focus:
Ballymena United
Formed: 1928
Stadium: Ballymena Showgrounds (3,824)
Captain: Colin Coates
Chairman: Matthew Armstrong
Manager: Jim Ervin
Competitions: Premiership position 11
🔑 Key Man: Noah Stewart
Customarily taking up the Striker position, Noah Stewart was born in N. Ireland. After having made a senior debut playing for Ballymena United in the 2023 - 2024 season, the skilful Forward has managed 6 league goals in the Premiership 2023 - 2024 campaign to date in a total of 21 appearances.
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Ballymena United |
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Ballymena United |
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Ballymena United |
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Ballymena United |
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Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | Form |
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1 |
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30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 45 | 73 | WWWWW |
2 |
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31 | 23 | 3 | 5 | 34 | 72 | LDLWW |
3 |
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31 | 21 | 4 | 6 | 44 | 67 | DWWLL |
4 |
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30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 27 | 50 | DDWLD |
5 |
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30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 48 | LLDWW |
6 |
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30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | -16 | 38 | LWLWW |
7 |
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30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | -22 | 35 | WLDWD |
8 |
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30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | -12 | 33 | WLDLD |
9 |
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30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 31 | LWDLW |
10 |
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30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | -18 | 31 | LDLLD |
11 |
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30 | 5 | 4 | 21 | -35 | 19 | LLDLL |
12 |
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30 | 3 | 5 | 22 | -55 | 14 | LDDLL |
Glentoran |
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Ballymena United |
Ballymena United |
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Carrick Rangers |
Ballymena United |
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Crusaders |
Linfield |
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Ballymena United |
Ballymena United |
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Larne |
Newry City |
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Ballymena United |
Newry City |
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Crusaders |
Crusaders |
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Coleraine |
Ballymena United |
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Crusaders |
Crusaders |
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Glenavon |
Loughgall |
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Crusaders |
Dungannon Swifts |
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Crusaders |
Ballymena United |
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Larne |
Ballymena United |
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Loughgall |
Ballymena United |
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Dungannon Swifts |
Ballymena United |
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Coleraine |
Ballymena United |
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Carrick Rangers |
Ballymena United |
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Larne |
Loughgall |
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Crusaders |
Dungannon Swifts |
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Crusaders |
Linfield |
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Crusaders |
Cliftonville |
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Crusaders |
Glenavon |
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Crusaders |
Carrick Rangers |
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Crusaders |
Goals scored | 0.7 |
Goals conceded | 1.6 |
Time first goal scored | 47 |
Time first goal conceded | 35 |
Yellow cards | 2.7 |
Red cards | 0.2 |
Subs used | 3.5 |
Biggest victory | 3-1 |
Biggest defeat | 4-2 |
Goals scored | 1.8 |
Goals conceded | 1.1 |
Time first goal scored | 39 |
Time first goal conceded | 45 |
Yellow cards | 2.1 |
Red cards | 0.1 |
Subs used | 3.1 |
Biggest victory | 4-0 |
Biggest defeat | 3-0 |
Noah Stewart | 6 |
Fraser Taylor | 3 |
Ryan Waide | 3 |
Colin Coates | 2 |
Isaac Westendorf | 2 |
Ben Kennedy | 12 |
Paul Heatley | 8 |
Adam Lecky | 6 |
Philip Lowry | 6 |
Jarlath O'Rourke | 4 |
Glentoran |
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Ballymena United |
Newry City |
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Crusaders |