No fear as United get set for trip to leaders

The Puritans head to the Glassboys on Saturday on the back of an impressive run of just two defeats in 12 Evo-Stik League South outings.

Mike Ford’s boys were unfortunate not to take all three premier division points against Stourbridge last month in an impressive display. And the West Midlands outfit know they will have to be at their best to contain United’s goal threat, which has produced nine goals in the last two games.

Ford is under no illusions about how tough it will be at the leaders but said: “We’ve got a massive game at Stourbridge but it’s one we won’t be scared of on the back of this run and the fact that we’ve already got a result against them.

“We’ve got to be bang on it but Saturday’s performance against Barwell will give us a lot of confidence to take to Stourbridge. The two late goals on New Year’s Day gave us the momentum to take into Saturday’s game.”

United are three points outside the play-offs but Ford added: “I’m not looking at the table, we’re just taking it a game at a time.

“We’ve won four out of six games now, whereas during the unbeaten eight-match run we had drawn too many games. Winning breeds confidence and during that run without a win we worked really hard with the players.”

Oxford United on-loan duo Matt Taylor and Manny Agboola will stay at the club for another month but Mark Bell has left. Lee Henderson should be back on Saturday and Charlie Hawtin looks set to return the following week.