Strikers need to keep their focus despite the pressure

George Jeacock and Conor McDonagh have not got the goals they would have expected since arriving at the Banbury Plant Community Stadium, especially in tight games.

And that was certainly the case on Tuesday against Dunstable Town, a match in which the Puritans created enough chances to have won three games.

But Ford said: “When you’re a striker and not getting the goals you feel you should be getting there is a tendency to try too hard.

“Conor [McDonagh] got into a great position in the first half but hit the keeper when all he had to do was roll the ball across the box and it would have been a tap-in.

“But I’m not going to blame individual players, we did everything we could, created lots of chances but didn’t take one when we were on top in the game. That is our failing at the moment.”

The Puritans are being edged out by the odd goal in tight games and the only time they lost by more than one goal was against Hitchin Town back in August.

Ford added: “Only once this season have we been dominated and that was against Hitchin Town. We’ve lost by the odd goal six times now.

“But we’re not a million miles away, we’re still a very young side.”