Ford looks for players to reclaim identity

And, despite a third straight Evo-Stik Southern League defeat, the Puritans boss saw signs they were doing just that against Hereford.

The Puritans are without a game this weekend as Slough are still involved in the Emirates FA Cup but travel to Gosport Borough on Tuesday. The struggling premier division side have yet to pick up a point and Ford will be looking to make sure his side gets something there.

He said: “We’ve lost our identity in recent games and we needed to get it back by playing good football again. That is what got us to where we are now in the last two seasons and where it got us after six games this time.

“We have to be patient with the younger players or else they will leave, go elsewhere and another club will benefit from what we’ve done with them.”

And one of those younger players, Tom Bradbury, could be the answer to United’s defensive problems. The 19-year-old looked a perfect fit alongside Luke Carnell against Hereford, being a left-footer gave a more balanced look to the central combination.

Ford said: “If Tom Bradbury was 29 and not 19 he wouldn’t be at this club, or at least he shouldn’t be, because he was outstanding against Hereford.

“It was a big decision not to play Ricky Johnson at the back because he and Luke Carnell had done well but Tom gives us better balance. Ricky is more of a marauding player, he and Jefferson Louis do not have that much pace but it allows us to get up the pitch with him up top.”