Carrick Rangers beat Ards to secure promotion to Premiership

Carrick Rangers have returned to the top flight after beating Ards in the promotion/relegation playoff.

Niall Currie's side secured the victory with a 2-1 away win, having already won the first leg 1-0.

First half goals from Mark Surgenor and Ryan Strain saw Rangers take control before Jonny Taylor pulled one back for Ards.

However, Warren Feeney's side couldn't find the net, despite playing 43 minutes of the second half with an extra man after Rodgers was sent off for Carrick.

The visitors settled well into the game early on, and didn't waste any time in extending their advantage, opening the scoring in just the 4th minute.

Stuart Nixon's corner was drilled to the back post where Rangers' captain Mark Surgenor rose highest to plant a header into the top corner from close range.

3 minutes later Ards had the ball in the net, but what would have been a great response to going a goal down was ruled out for offside.

Carrick looked the more threatening side throughout the first half, and in the 25th minute it took a superb flying save from Sam Johnston to keep Ards from conceding another, getting across his goal to claw away a header from Michael Smith.

However, only 5 minute later the Championship club went 2-0 up on the night.

Another corner was floated in, this time finding the head of Christopher Rodgers, whose effort was diverted into the net by Ryan Strain to give Carrick a 3-0 aggregate lead.

With 37 minutes played Ards finally pulled a goal back, a free kick from out wide headed in at the near post by Johnny Taylor.

Barely 90 seconds into the 2nd half, Ards were given a huge opportunity to get back into the game when Carrick’s Rodgers was sent off for a second yellow.

As expected, Ards began to pile on the pressure, and Darren Henderson went close with a couple of chances around the hour mark, but Carrick remained a threat on the counter.

Henderson looked certain to have pulled another goal back for Ards, but in the 86th minute he was completely unmarked in the box as he headed harmlessly into the arms of the keeper, and Carrick held on to return to the top tier.