BANBURY United manager Mike Ford hopes a new approach will pay dividends this season.

The early signs have been good for the Puritans as they bid to make it four games unbeaten in the BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central when they host Kings Langley tomorrow.

Ford has challenged his players to take ownership of their own game and, with five points from a possible nine, it is so far, so good.

He said: “I’m not sure whether three games can be called a start, but we’ve done OK so far.

“We’ve completely transformed what we are doing and how we are approaching the season.

“We’ve had seven weeks including pre-season trying to adapt to the change, and my players have embraced it.

“We have tried to instil ownership in the players, on what we are trying to do, and how we achieve it.

“My players make their own decisions and have some autonomy.

“We use three phrases, acceptable, unacceptable and exceptional. They are being self-critical and recognising if something is unacceptable – they hold their hands up.

“If the lads don’t recognise it, then it’s up to the rest of us to make them aware. If we just let it go, that’s when we are failing and when we need to remind the players to challenge each other.”

Ford names an unchanged squad.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Banbury Utd: (v Kings Langley, home): from Harding, Roberts, Okito, Westbrook, Hawtin, Rasulo, Johnson, Dias, Awadh, Henderson, Mills, Odhiambo, Anderson, Gordon, Ngaah, Davies.