Ben Arthurs insists Bangor are under no illusions heading into their Championship promotion/relegation play-off with Knockbreda.
Two games stand between the Seasiders and a place in the second tier of the Northern Ireland Football League.
The first leg takes place tonight at Clandeboye Park (7.45pm), with the return game in four days’ time at Breda Park.
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And despite Knockbreda’s struggles this season, Arthurs says Bangor will go into the two ties as underdogs.
“Knockbreda might be at the bottom end of the Championship, but they have been playing against better opposition all year,” the Bangor striker told Match on Tuesday.
“We have good teams in our league, too, but the Championship is stronger.
“I think these two games will be cup finals for both teams. I don’t think previous form will play into it.
“The team in the league above is always the slight favourite in games like these. You saw that with the Premiership play-off.
“But we are confident of giving a good account of ourselves and giving Knockbreda a really good game.
“We have two games standing between us and the Championship so we will be giving it our all.
“We are at home on Tuesday night and it would be great to take some kind of advantage into the away leg. But to be honest even a draw keeps us in the tie.
“So there is no big pressure on us to deliver a home win.”
Bangor were in prime position to win this season’s PIL but failed to win any of their first three fixtures after the split.
Newington capitalised with a mesmerising run of five wins on the bounce to romp to the title, finishing seven points ahead of Lee Feeney’s Seasiders.
“At the start of the season we targeted promotion. We would love to have won the title but fair play to Newington for putting the run together that they did,”
Arthurs said.
“The club would have taken a play-off spot if you offered us that at the start of the season. We have given ourselves a chance of promotion.
“The only disappointing thing is we went into the split sitting top of the table. We faltered a bit near the end and Newington capitalised.”
Bangor secured their play-off spot with Saturday’s 3-1 win over nearest rivals Armagh City, with Arthurs scoring two goals including a penalty.
“Saturday was a good win. It was like a cup final,” he added.
“We knew a draw would be enough but we managed to get the win against a good Armagh side.
“We got over the line in the end.
“I have 18 goals across all competitions. I was hoping to get more. I haven’t really been firing on all cylinders since Christmas. I feel I have been playing well but just not getting the goals.
“The ball hasn’t been going in the net for me, but thankfully the other lads have been scoring.
“So it was good to get two goals against Armagh and hopefully I can continue that into the play-off games.
“But the main thing is that Bangor get the win over the two legs. That’s the important thing.
“I have been at Bangor for three years and I have loved every minute of it.
“Hugh Sinclair was manager when I came in and the club was in the Ballymena and Provincial League, which is where it didn’t want to be.
“But we are starting to climb and the club is ambitious. And everyone at the club has been brilliant since day one. It is a very good club and well run.
“Hopefully it can get back to where it deserves to be. It is a big club that harbours ambitions of one day returning to the Premiership.
“But one step at a time, and we are two games away from taking another big step in Bangor’s plan."
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