Bangor duo Ben Arthurs and Matthew Ferguson have formed the Irish League’s most lethal strike partnership this season to help put their side on the cusp of Premiership promotion – and now their targets are set on causing an Irish Cup shock against Glentoran.

Arthurs enters Friday’s quarter-final clash on the back of scoring consecutive hat-tricks in wins over Ballinamallard United and Armagh City, bringing his seasonal league tally to 18 – the same number as Ferguson has netted since joining from H&W Welders last summer.

Across the Irish League’s three-tiers, only Welders ace Michael McLellan (28) can boast a better goal return than Bangor’s red-hot duo with their form helping Lee Feeney’s side open up an eight-point cushion at the Championship’s summit.

They’ll now test themselves against one of the country’s best defences – only runaway Premiership leaders Linfield and reigning champions Larne have conceded fewer top-flight goals than Glentoran (25).

placeholder image — Bangor's Ben Arthurs has scored 19 goals across all competitions this season - including back-to-back hat-tricks. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

While Ferguson’s summer arrival after scoring 48 times in 65 league appearances across the past two seasons may have left some wondering how two players so hungry for goals would operate together, Arthurs says they’ve brought the best out of each other.

"It's one of those things where people might wonder when you sign a high-profile striker if it's going to be a big competition and fighting for places, but Bangor have fit us both in together and our numbers speak for themselves in terms of goals and partnership on the pitch,” he said. “He's someone I've got to know well off the pitch too and we have struck a good friendship as well as a partnership on the pitch.

"What Spike (Ferguson) has brought to the club has been first class and we're hoping to keep carrying on. We're both happy when the other person is scoring and we're both doing our best to get Bangor a win in every game we play.

"We're both similar in that we're both good in the air, happy to run in behind, take the ball to our feet and we're both intelligent footballers with the poacher's instinct we have. I definitely think we work well together."

Bangor will get an early taste of what could become a new normal this weekend if they can convert their current points advantage into silverware and complete a rise back up through the leagues – the 1992/93 Irish Cup champions were playing in the Ballymena & Provincial League as recently as 2019.

Arthurs insists it’s an occasion for the County Down outfit to relish in front of a packed Clandeboye Park as they look to spring a surprise on the tournament favourites, who are still battling to seal a clean sweep of cup glory having already secured Co Antrim Shield success ahead of next weekend’s BetMcLean Cup final date with Cliftonville.

"We had a similar experience previously playing against Crusaders on BBC - they are big occasions and exciting for players,” added Arthurs. “We're still currently in the Championship but any time you get to go up against the big boys like Glentoran, Linfield, Cliftonville etc, it's something you look forward to.

"I think it'll be a sell-out at Clandeboye Park...as a player you're excited for it and I'm sure the fans will be buzzing too. We'll give it our best shot."