The belief is back as Ford plans for leaders

The belief is back at Banbury United, says boss Mike Ford.
Banbury United manager Mike FordBanbury United manager Mike Ford
Banbury United manager Mike Ford

And the Puritans will need to believe as they head to Evo-Stik Southern League leaders King’s Lynn Town on Saturday.

Ford’s boys go to the leaders on the back of an excellent victory in Saturday’s premier division clash at promotion chasers Slough Town.

The head coach revealed he used Burnley as an example to help instil the belief in his players ahead of Saturday’s game. United have struggled to match the top sides so far and Ford felt the mood was not right as he delivered his pre-match address.

Ford said: “I felt the players were too quiet before the game so I challenged them to use Burnley as an example. I wanted them to approach the game the same way as Sean Dyche and Burnley would going to Old Trafford and have the belief they could get a result.

“I asked them if the Burnley players would think they could get a result against the likes of Manchester United and they said they would. So I wanted them to have that same belief at Slough.”

Kings Lynn only won by a single goal back in November at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium.

Ford said: “Now we’ve got another challenge. It will be a different type of game, the pitch won’t be so good as Slough’s and King’s Lynn are a big, physical side.

“But the challenge mentally will be the same as it was at Slough. Now the players should have the belief that they can go to these top teams and compete.

“We need to be on the front foot more in these games, we didn’t do that at Hereford. But, although we didn’t chuck the kitchen sink at Slough, we still posed a threat to them.