City ready for runaway TNS
BANGOR City manager Andy Legg will take encouragement from last week’s League Cup loss to The New Saints when the Citizens welcome back the runaway Welsh Premier leaders to Nantporth this Saturday (5.15pm kick-off, live on S4C).
Legg’s side were beaten 2-0 by TNS in last Tuesday’s Nathaniel MG Cup quarter-final at the Bangor University Stadium, but more than matched the full-timers for long periods.
This weekend City face the huge task of trying to become the first team to take a point off the Saints in the league this term.
Craig Harrison’s men have won all 13 WPL games and hold a 15-point lead over joint secondplace Connah’s Quay and Bangor.
To make matters more daunting for the Citizens, they have lost their last 15 league meetings with TNS dating back to March 2012.
However, City are a much improved outfit this season under Legg and now could be as good a time as any to break the jinx.
Bangor have won their last five home league matches – their best run since moving to Nantporth in 2012.
Nonetheless, Saints have been victorious on each of their eight visits to City’s new ground in all competitions.
Bangor will need fitness checks on defender Leon Clowes and winger Christian Langos ahead of the TNS test, but Legg insists his charges will be far from overawed.
“We’ll have a game plan, hopefully we’ll have everybody fit and have a full-strength squad to pick from,” he said. “We’ll work hard in training. Going back to last week (in the cup) I thought we matched them for the majority of the game, which was encouraging.”
Legg added he was delighted to move level on points with Connah’s Quay after last Friday’s 3-2 triumph at Cefn Druids – City’s first away league win of the campaign.
“If we can hang on to Connah’s Quay’s coat tails and be in and around the mix we’ll be pleased with that.
“We said top six this year, so let’s not get carried away. We’re above schedule, I think the lads have been absolutely fantastic with their attitude and commitment and the way they’ve played their football.
“They’ll only get better the more they play together. The signs are good but we’re not going to get carried away.”