Lyngby v Bangor City

Europa League first qualifying round, kick-off 5.30pm UK time

Bangor City manager Kevin Nicholson insists his team will be well prepared for the difficult challenge of Denmark's Lyngby Boldklub in tonight's Europa League first qualifying round, first leg clash at the Lyngby Stadion.

Former Cardiff City coach Nicholson and assistant-boss Gary Taylor-Fletcher have both been busy studying match footage of the Danes since the draw was made in Nyon last week.

Managed by former Wimbledon, Norwich City and Grimsby Town forward David Nielsen, Lyngby have less European match experience than Bangor, but were impressive third-place finishers on their return to the Danish Superliga last season after a four-year absence.

Twice Danish champions and three-time national cup winners, the club nicknamed The Royal Blues or The Vikings went bankrupt in 2001 and dropped into amateur football before steadily rebuilding their status.

They twice battled their way back to the top-flight only to be relegated on both occasions before returning to the Superliga for the 2016/17 campaign.

Most of the current squad are Danish, with one eye-catcher being Jeppe Kjaer, a lively forward who was top-scorer for Lyngby last season, having previously impressed in front of goal for Roskilde and HB Koge of Denmark before Nielsen signed him in 2015.

De Kongeblå will feature several new recruits in their line-up, with goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen and midfielder Mathias Hebo both available for their Lyngby debuts.

However, defensive lynchpins Mathias Tauber and Thomas Sørensen are both ruled out through injury.

Meanwhile The Citizens will be at full strength.

Record signing Brayden Shaw will feature along with fellow former Accrington Stanley players Steve Hewitt and Luke Wall. Left-sided defender Tom Kennedy, the Citizens' most recent capture from AFC Fylde, also has the opportunity to make his Bangor City debut.

Nicholson said: "Preparations are going well. We have been back training since June 7 and have also played a few warm up matches to ensure that we are the best prepared we can be for the Europa League games we now have coming up against Lyngby.

"We will have a full squad to select from and everyone is looking forward to the game in Denmark.

"Gary Taylor-Fletcher and I have been analysing match footage of our opponents since the draw was made. We are aware of their players, their playing style and their strengths and weaknesses."

Nicholson added: "It's an interesting draw. We are excited and looking forward to the games we have got coming up against Lyngby. It will be a good test for our team.

"The players and everyone at the club worked hard last season to achieve this opportunity to play in Europe again, so I'm sure everyone will be giving everything they have got to make the most of it."

Bangor City (from)

1 Connor Roberts (GK), 3 Tom Kennedy, 4 Luke Wall, 5 Anthony Miley, 6 Gary Roberts, 7 Gary Taylor-Fletcher, 8 Damien Allen, 9 Daniel Nardiello, 10 Dean Rittenberg, 11 Sion Edwards, 13 Matthew Hall (GK), 16 Danny Gosset, 17 Sam Henry, 19 Laurence Wilson, 23 Brayden Shaw, 24 Steve Hewitt, 30 Paul Connolly.

Lyngby BK (from)

1. Mikkel Andersen (GK), 16. Andreas Larsen (GK), 2. Thomas Guldborg Christensen, 3. Michael Lumb, 5. Martin Ørnskov, 6. Mathias Hebo, 7. Jesper Christjansen, 9. Lasse Fosgaard, 10. Mikkel Rygaard, 15. Jeppe Kjær, 17. Casper Højer Nielsen, 18. Kevin Tshiembe, 19. Kristoffer Larsen, 20. Jeppe Brandrup, 21. David Katz Boysen, 22. Bror Blume, 27. Kim Ojo, 30. Hallgrimur Jonasson.

EUROPEAN RECORDS

Bangor City

1962/63

European Cup Winners' Cup: Bangor City 2 Napoli 0; Napoli 3 Bangor City 1; Play-off: Bangor City 1 Napoli 2.

1985/86

European Cup Winners' Cup: Fredrikstad FK 1 Bangor City 1; Bangor City 0 Fredrikstad 0; Bangor City 0 Atletico Madrid 2; Atletico Madrid 1 Bangor City 0.

1994/95

Uefa Cup: Bangor City 1 IA Akranes 2; IA Akranes 2 Bangor City 0.

1995/96

Uefa Cup: Bangor City 0 Widzew Lodz 4; Widzew Lodz 1 Bangor City 0.

1998/99

European Cup Winners' Cup: Bangor City 0 FC Haka 2; FC Haka 1 Bangor City 0.

2000/01

Uefa Cup: Bangor City 0 Halmstads BK 7; Halmstads BK 4 Bangor City 0.

2002/03

Uefa Cup: Bangor City 1 FK Sartid Smederevo 0; FK Sartid Smeredervo 2 Bangor City 0.

2003

Uefa Intertoto Cup: Bangor City 0 Gloria Bistrita 1; Gloria Bistrita 5 Bangor City 2.

2005

Uefa Intertoto Cup: Bangor City 1 Dinaburg FC 2; Dinaburg FC 2 Bangor City 0.

2008/09

Uefa Cup: Bangor City 1 FC Midtjylland 6; FC Midtjylland 4 Bangor City 0.

2009/10

Uefa Europa League: FC Honka 2 Bangor City 0; Bangor City 0 FC Honka 1.

2010/11

Uefa Europa League: FC Honka 1 Bangor City 1; Bangor City 2 FC Honka 1; CS Martitimo 8 Bangor City 2; Bangor City 1 CS Maritimo 2.

2011/12

Uefa Champions League: Bangor City 0 HJK Helsinki 3; HJK Helsinki 10 Bangor City 0.

2012/13

Uefa Europa League: Bangor City 0 Zimbru Chisinau 0; Zimbru Chisinau 2 Bangor City 1.

2014/15

Uefa Europa League: Stjarnan 4 Bangor City 0; Bangor City 0 Stjarnan 4.

PLAYED 35

WON 3

DRAWN 4

LOST 28

GOALS FOR 18

GOALS AGAINST 92

Lyngby

1999/2000

Uefa Cup qualifying round: Lyngby 7 Birkirkara 0; Birkirkara 0 Lyngby 0; First round: Lyngby 1 Lokomotiv Moskova 2; Lokomotiva Moskova 3 Lyngby 0.

1998

Uefa Intertoto Cup: Hrvatski Dragovoljac 1 Lyngby 4; Lyngby 0 Hrvatski Dragovoljac 1; Samsunspor 3 Lyngby 0; Lyngby 3 Samsunspor 1.

1996/97

Uefa Cup qualifying round: Lyngby 0 Mura 0; Mura 0 Lyngby 2. First round: Club Brugge 1 Lyngby 1; Lyngby 0 Club Brugge 2.

1992/93

Uefa Champions League: Rangers 2 Lyngby 0; Lyngby 0 Rangers 1.

1990/91

European Cup Winners' Cup: Wrexham 0 Lyngby 0; Lyngby 0 Wrexham 1.

1986/87

Uefa Cup: Xamax 2 Lyngby 0; Lyngby 1 Xamax 3.

1985/86

European Cup Winners' Cup: Lyngby 1 Galway United 0; Galway United 2 Lyngby 3; Lyngby 2 Red Star Belgrade 2; Red Star Belgrade 3 Lyngby 1.

1984/85

European Cup: Elbasan 0 Lyngby 3; Lyngby 3 Elbasan 0; Sparta Praha 0 Lyngby 0; Lyngby 1 Sparta Praha 2.

1982/83

Uefa Cup: Lyngby 1 Brage 2; Brage 2 Lyngby 2.

PLAYED 28

WON 8

DRAWN 7

LOST 13

GOALS FOR 36

GOALS AGAINST 36