Ford delighted to see United grind out three points

Jack Self’s solitary goal saw the Puritans beat in-form Hitchin Town 1-0 in Saturday’s premier division clash at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium. Self gave United the lead after the restart but substitute Leam Howards was sent off and United had to see out the game with ten men to pick up three more points.

Ford said: “Everything I asked the players to do they did, we showed great resolve to win that game and it’s a great three points against an in-form team. They were outstanding, it was the complete opposite to our last home performance but the players have now set a standard they need to maintain.

“When we went down to ten men I was quite calm about it. I just felt we weren’t going to concede even though they had a couple of chances late on.

“It was difficult in the first half, they kept pegging us back with good quality balls forward to their front men. We had to stem that flow and get a foothold in the game.

“We got ahead but Leam Howards and Conor McDonagh had chances to make it comfortable. While it is 1-0 with only ten men the game is always in the balance because we missed to guilt-edged chances.

“After the red card I didn’t want to simply defend our lead, that’s why I kept two strikers up top. You expect to be under pressure at some stage when you’re down to ten men.”