Ards manager Colin Nixon knows his side are underdogs against Crusaders

Nixon feels Stephen Baxter’s men go into the meeting as favourites.

“Look we know Saturday’s game is one were no one expects us to get anything,” he stated. “But we’ll set-up and work hard all week in training and give our best and see where it takes us.

“There whole squad has been put together well and they have talented players right through it, it’s going to be an uphill struggle for us, there’s no doubt it, but look we are right down in the mire and we need points and we’ll be fighting for our lives.”

To be fair to Nixon he does believe their recent win over Linfield will give his side belief that they can cause another shock.

“I have said it before that on our day we can match or beat anybody. There’s no doubt about if we have our best 11 on the pitch then we can do that, but unfortunately for us we haven’t been able to do that too often,” he added.

“I have also said too that we have been involved in every game, we haven’t been outclassed by anyone. The only game that has let us down this season was at Glentoran and that’s the only game that I could say that the players haven’t performed well, but we were poor that day.”

For the Crues boss he’s expecting another test at Clandeboye Park.

“The last two seasons we have had very tight games at Ards and we have came up with last minute winners in most of those games,” stated Baxter. “I’m well aware that they are well organised. Colin has them very defensively drilled; they don’t concede a lot and they are always liable to hit you on the break, as they have a couple of wee quick players on the wing. So we are alive to their strenghts and we have to make sure that we are professional throughout, but it won’t be an easy game.”