Ford looks for United to pass the next test

But now Banbury United boss Mike Ford wants his players to make sure they follow up two excellent away displays when they return home.

The Puritans entertain Kings Langley in Saturday’s Evo-Stik Southern League clash on the back of taking four points on their travels.

Victory at Slough was followed up with a draw at premier division leaders King’s Lynn Town where only a stoppage-time equaliser denied Ford’s boys maximum points.

Playing in front of their own supporters at the Bnabury Plant Hire Community Stadium has not reaped the rewards of Ford’s previous two seasons at the helm. But the Puritans boss is more concerned with performances than results and wants his players to adopt the same approach.

Ford said: “Our away form is up there with the top teams but our home form is closer to those teams near the bottom. We’ve been chasing a second goal in some games when we’ve been ahead and then got pegged back.

“But since the turn of the year we’re unbeaten at home and that’s partly down to what we’ve asked the players to do.

“I know there will be a huge expectation from the supporters for us to go out and beat Kings Langley and I accept that. But for me, the most important thing is to play well and not for the players to worry about the result.

“I saw Kings Langley beat Royston on Tuesday and they looked a good side, better than their position suggests.

“But we’ve picked up four really good points from our last two away games and the players did well to back up the Slough performance at King’s Lynn.”