BANGOR City boss Kevin Nicholson is confident his side can bounce back from their 3-0 loss at champions The New Saints of Oswestry Town.

The Citizens’ eighth defeat in 24 league contests sees them drop to fourth spot, with just three points separating them and second-placed Connah’s Quay with the pair set to square off at the VSM Sports Stadium on Friday (7.45pm).

Nicholson, said: “I thought during the first half we did very well again and were in the game but we didn’t have the same teamwork about us in the second and were not as organised.

“They punished us with the opportunities they had and when you concede the first goal against TNS it makes things extremely difficult to get anything from the game.

“We have eight games still to play in the JD Welsh Premier League and 24 points to fight for.

“Not one team in the top six took maximum points from their opening two fixtures which highlights the strength of each side and how highly competitive each game is going to be.

“Moving forward we know what we are capable of producing as a team, we have proven it in recent weeks and months and will no doubt show it again between now and the end of the season.

“What’s important is that we continue to work hard, keep our standards high and keep focused on our points target in order to give ourselves the best opportunity of achieving our overall objective.”

The home side turned the game on its head in the second half after an even first period, with Aeron Edwards hitting two goals in quick succession on 53 and 63 minutes to put them in the ascendancy.

City threw caution to the wind in an attempt to find a route back into the contest, but they were undone again in stoppage time when a quick break from the hosts resulted in Ryan Brobbel notching a third.