Glentoran's James Singleton catches Ballymena's Charlie Allen fractionally late in a challenge.

Referee Steven Gregg gives the Glens player the benefit of the doubt and keeps his cards in his pocket on this occasion.

Kieran Offord almost catches Peter Morrison out as the Reds keeper tries to clear the ball, but it doesn't fall kindly for Offord.

The Cliftonville stopper breaths a huge sigh of relief.

Philip Lowry
Limavady midfielder on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Pacemaker

A lot of Ballymena's signings have come in with a point to prove and it's a big year for them to show what they are all about.

Daithi McCallion smacks a shot off the top off the crossbar following a corner but the referee's assistant's flag is already raised.

Darragh Leahy finds Matthew Fitzpatrick thought the middle with a clever pass but the Linfield striker can't find another team-mate as he tries to flick the ball to Kieran Offord.

Ryan Cooney gives the ball away inside his own half to Chris McKee who slips a pass into the path of Igor Rutkowski.

The Ballymena striker looks up and fires a stinging shot which keeper Billy Crellin dives to his right to push wide.

Jordan Jenkins lays off a Josh Daniels cross into the path of Aaron McEneff but the in-rushing Glentoran midfielder miscues his shot wide.

Philip Lowry
Limavady midfielder on BBC iPlayer

Glentoran will miss the focal point of Pat Hoban, but Jordan Jenkins is a different proposition with his runs in behind. He's also under-rated as a finisher.

Peter Morrison does extremely well to get down sharply to his left to tip Kirk Millar's half-volley from the edge of the box just around the post.

Dane McCullough starts the Linfield move as he beats his man and whips the ball into a dangerous area from the left-hand side.

Glentoran's first sight of goal comes from the head of Zeno Rossi following an Aaron McEneff free kick but he can't keep his effort on target.

Cliftonville hit Linfield on the break as Liam McStravick gallops forward down the centre of the pitch.

He tries to find Ben Quinn through the middle, but his pass is a bit heavy and Chris Johns gathers routinely.

Glentoran survive a couple of early Ballymena corners before they can clear the danger and gain some breathing space.

Chris McKee bursts to the bye-line and cuts the ball back, forcing Zeno Rossi to clear behind for an early Ballymena corner.

Philip Lowry
Limavady midfielder on BBC iPlayer

I've been in the league a long time and I don't think I've ever seen the pitch here look as good.

We're under way in south Belfast.

Can Jim Magilton's side make it nine points from a possible nine to begin the Irish Premiership campaign, or will the Blues back up their 'Big Two' victory with another at Windsor Park tonight?

Referee Steven Gregg blows his whistle to start the action at a blustery Ballymena Showgrounds.

After naming unchanged starting XIs in his side's opening two games, Ballymena boss Oran Kearney makes one tweak this evening with midfielder James Hood replacing Succes Edogun.

Finley Thorndike, who joined the Sky Blues this week in a swap deal which took Donal Rocks to Crusaders, is named among the substitutes.

Glentoran make two changes from the side which lost to Linfield last weekend.

One is enforced with Jordan Stewart suspended following his red card late in that game, while Jack Malone also misses out. Josh Kelly and Josh Daniels take their places.

Among Glentoran's subs is Lekan Sule, who joined the club this week following a spell in the Amateur League with Rosario.

Ballymena United: Walsh, Toure, Whiteside, McCallion, Clarke, SUle, Archer, Hood, Allen, McKee, Rutkowski.

Subs: Breen, Thordike, Leetch, Murray, Edogun, McConnell, MacManus.

Glentoran: Crellin, Cooney, Rossi, Kane, Singleton, Kelly, McEneff, Thomson, Clarke, Daniels, Jenkins.

Subs: Morris, Sule, Gallagher, Larmour, Weatherup, Faloona, Douglas.

Image source, BBC Sport

Blues boss David Healy makes no changes to his starting XI that defeated 'Big Two' rivals Glentoran 2-1 at Windsor Park last weekend.

Strikers Kieran Offord and Matthew Fitzpatrick lead the line, both looking for their first goals of the season.

Jim Magilton on the other hand makes one change as he goes in search of three consecutive wins to begin the Irish Premiership campaign.

Liam McStravick replaces Rhyss Campbell in the Reds' only change.

Linfield: Johns, McCullough, Shields (c), Millar, McClean, Offord, Hall, Frizzell, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Leahy.

Subs: Glavin, Wells, Brown, Baird, Moore, Annett, Chapman.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Wightman, Samuels, Wilson, Campbell, Hale (c), Healy, McClelland, McMaster, Quinn, Bannon, McStravick.

Subs: Belshaw, O'Connor, Conlan, Thompson, Gormley, Hawthorne, Sheridan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Paul Leeman
Former Glentoran captain on BBC Sport NI

Both managers will be looking for three points. Both teams want to bounce back and get momentum.

Manager Oran Kearney says he hopes Ballymena United can build on a "positive" start to the season against Glentoran on Friday.

The Sky Blues stunned Linfield 3-0 on the opening weekend of the season but lost 2-1 at Crusaders in their second outing.

Ballymena had a big turnover of players over the summer with 11 new arrivals at the Showgrounds, but Kearney is pleased with their start to the campaign.

"I think the big worry always with that first game is making sure that you're up to speed, particularly against a side that had played in Europe and maybe had been in earlier than us," Kearney told BBC Sport NI's Nicola McCarthy.

"So we were happy with the start that we got, but just a bit frustrated that we didn't back it up last Saturday."

Ballymena will aim to get back to winning ways against Glentoran on Friday night in a game which will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website.

Image source, Inpho