City boss sees a genuine chance of Europa upset
BANGOR City manager Kevin Nicholson believes his team has a genuine chance of causing an upset when they attempt to overturn a one-goal deficit in their Uefa Europa League first qualifying round, second leg at home to Denmark’s Lyngby Boldklub tomorrow (6.30pm kick-off ).
The Danish Superliga outfit were limited to a 1-0 lead at the Lyngby Stadion by a determined visiting side last Thursday.
Bror Blume’s 12th minute goal is all that will separate the teams going into tomorrow’s return at the Bangor University Stadium.
Goalkeeper Connor Roberts was superb for the Welsh Premier side, who also created a couple of good chances to score.
Nicholson, who took over as Citizens manager last month, could not have been more proud.
“The players put a huge amount of effort into the performance,” he said.
“To a man they were excellent and we could not have asked for much more. We had a game plan and stuck to it. As a team we were organised, disciplined and managed the game well. Our defensive shape was very good and we were able to maintain it throughout.
“We also had a few opportunities to score but unfortunately didn’t manage to take them on this occasion.
“Overall, there were plenty of positives and confidence to be taken from Thursday’s game heading into the second leg.
“The tie is very much alive and we are all now really looking forward to our home game in Bangor.”
Taking on the team that finished third in the Danish top-flight last season, City glovesman Roberts was outstanding and set his stall out with wonderful stops to deny Kim Ojo and Jeppe Brandrup in the opening 10 minutes.
The only goal came in the 12th minute when Danish Under-20 international Blume sent a shot from the left-hand side of the area beyond Roberts into the right corner.
Roberts produced another fine save before the break, while the visitors’ closest call saw Brayden Shaw’s curler not miss by much.
The Danes searched for a second goal after the restart but Roberts was again the star as he kept out a stinging attempt from Mathias Hebo.
Danger man Jeppe Kjaer had been kept relatively quiet, but the Welsh side were indebted to Roberts when he produced a onehanded stop to thwart last season’s top-scorer.
Steven Hewitt and Shaw then combined to block Kjaer’s strike at the expense of a corner.
Kjaer soon missed a sitter as he skied over from six yards out.
Lyngby were reduced to 10 men in the 87th minute when Hall-
grimur Jonasson was shown a second.
And City could have grabbed a priceless late equaliser when Shaw’s cross evaded Gary TaylorFletcher in the six-yard box.
Bangor line-up in Lyngby: Connor Roberts, Paul Connolly, Laurence Wilson, Tom Kennedy, Brayden Shaw, Gary Roberts, Dan Gosset, Damien Allen, Dan Nardiello (Dean Rittenberg 60), Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Steven Hewitt.
Unused substitutes: Luke Wall, Anthony Miley, Sion Edwards, Matthew Hall (GK), Cai Owen, Sam Henry.