ANDY THOMAS believes Airbus are finding form at the right time ahead of their League Cup quarter-final derby with Flint Town United.

Heralded as Cymru Alliance title-favourites after their relegation from the top tier last season, the Wingmakers have laboured at times this term.

But a raft of new signings and a 6-0 hammering of Porthmadog has instilled new belief into the side according to assistant boss Thomas.

He said: “It does feel like we’re gelling more as a squad now and I think we are only going to get better between now and the end of the season.

“Porthmadog are a good team and they just couldn’t live with us for long periods of the game last week.

“So it does feel like we are finding form before a big cup derby game at home that we’re desperate to win.

“It’s not just about the new signings we’ve made at the club; there’s the young academy lads like Oli Lancely and Blake Robinson who’ve done well.

“They’ve come into the side and are pushing the senior players for starting positions, which is good to see. We want to develop that talent for the future and the first-team.”

After eliminating Holywell Town in the first round, Niall McGuinness says his Flint side should ‘fear no-one’ in the competition.

The Silkmen boss has been encouraged by his side’s performances of late and is relishing the short trip to the Airfield.

Rhyl are the only side to have booked their semi-final berth and McGuinness has challenged his players to join his former club.

He said: “It’s a derby game and we’re all really looking forward to it on a 3G surface. We played in pretty horrendous conditions on a mudbath pitch at Guilsfield last week, so it’ll be good for us to get the ball down and play again.

“This is not an easy game by any stretch, but it is a good chance for us to challenge for a trophy and we’re confident we can go there and win.

“They’ve had a good result last week, but this is a derby and on our day we can beat any team in this division and don’t fear anyone.

“We’ll just concentrate on our own game and hopefully get ourselves into the last four."

Flint full-back Jack Lewis is cup-tied, while forward Richie Foulkes is suspended.

Airbus goalkeeper David Roberts and defender Danny Taylor are both ineligible for the cup clash.

Steve Halliwell insists his Gresford Athletic side will go ‘all out’ to reach the semi-finals.

After guiding the club to NEWFA Challenge Cup glory last season, Halliwell believes another solid cup run can galvanise his squad.

Incentivised by the elimination of high-flying duo Caernarfon and Holywell in earlier rounds, the Gresford boss believes the competition is now ‘wide open’.

He said: “This is a massive game for us and the result could define our season in some ways.

“It’s a cup we want to win and I think that winning this game would keep the motivation levels in the squad high for the remainder of the season.

“If we don’t, there’s a chance that we could lose that spark and just drift along in mid-table.”

Athletic have failed to beat Penrhyncoch in either of their league clashes this term, with Halliwell’s men beaten 3-1 away and held to a 2-2 draw at home.

And Halliwell is determined that his players turn in a clinical display at Clappers Lane tomorrow.

He added: “They’re a dogged and resilient side and maybe we underestimated them a bit and showed them a lack of respect, so that can’t happen again.”

“Both times we’ve played them this season they’ve scrapped for a result and have taken five points off us effectively.

“We had chances we didn’t take in those games, so it’s vital that we’re more ruthless in front of goal.”

Jack Challenor misses out for Gresford, though newly-signed defender Nathan Williams comes into the squad and influential centre back Max Peate also returns.

In tomorrow’s other cup game, Guilsfield host Holyhead Hotspur in a rearranged first round fixture.