DIRECTOR of football Andy Preece says there is no pressure on his side to finish runners-up in the Welsh Premier League and seal automatic qualification to the Europa League.

The Wingmakers start the second phase of the campaign in second place and go into Friday's trip to Prestatyn Town (7.30pm) having won 12 of their opening 22 matches and as the league's leading scorers with a massive 59 goals to their name.

Those statistics suggest that Airbus, whose highest finish in their nine years in the league is seventh, are best placed to get closest to leaders and defending champions The New Saints.

But Preece feels there should be more expectancy on established top-six sides like Bangor City and Port Talbot Town.

"The lads have got a buzz about them, we've got no fear and I don't think there should be any expectation on us to get second ahead of the likes of Bangor," Preece says.

"We've put ourselves in pole position. We'd love to finish second and we are pushing ourselves to do that but we're just enjoying the position we are in."

Third-placed Bangor and fourth-placed Prestatyn missed the chance to close the gap on the Wingmakers last weekend when they played out a 3-3 draw while Airbus had no game because of the appeal by Connah's Quay against a one-point deduction.

"It still disappoints me that we didn't play last weekend," Preece added.

"You look at the Bangor versus Prestatyn result and while people will say a draw was the perfect result for us, if we had played and if we had won we would have been five points clear of them both.

"We might have lost the game but we never got the opportunity - and that's my argument.

"I don't think they looked at the psychological side of the game."

Despite winning 6-1 at Bastion Gardens last month, Preece expects a tought test and arranged a Monday night friendly at Chester to keep his side match fit.

Chester won 2-1, with Michael Roddy reducing the arrears with a late penalty, but the Wingmakers fared well.

A pleased Preece said: "Chester are pretty much a Conference team now as I'm sure they'll get promoted so it was a good test for us.

"We did well at times, played some good stuff but also did some things that we will have to work on.

"We are going to be playing the top teams in our league in the second half of the season so it was a good taster of what's to come."