FOOTBALL: City boss Ford issues Vauxhall warning (From The Oxford Times)

FOOTBALL: City boss Ford issues Vauxhall warning

10:00am Friday 4th January 2013 in Football By Nick Farrant, Sports reporter specialising in Non League Football. Call me on 01865 425488

Oxford City manager Mike Ford says his side cannot afford to sit on their laurels following Tuesday’s 2-1 comeback win against Brackley Town when they host Vauxhall Motors in Blue Square Bet North tomorrow.

The victory saw sixth-placed City end a nine-match winless run.

“I was chuffed to bits,” said Ford. “I thought our whole performance was a big improvement.

“We played with a real desire and passion and that’s what we did in the first two months of the season. But we took our foot off the pedal and we need to get back on it again.

“Saturday’s game is of massive importance because we have got Chester, Guiseley, Halifax and Bradford Park Avenue coming up.

“If we play like we did on New Year’s Day (against Brackley), we have an outstanding chance of winning.

“But if we think we can rest on our laurels, we will end up with nothing.”

Ford said he had learned lessons from their goalless draw at Brackley on Boxing Day and it paid off.

He added: “I thought we were too loose against Boston and Brackley, so I changed things a bit and everyone played their part.

“Andy Ballard and Darren Pond played in front of the centre halves, so when Brackley broke, it was onto our midfield and not the back four.

“I thought they (Pond and Ballard) won us the game on Tuesday.”

City will be without midfielder Liam Malone, while winger Jamie Cook faces a fitness test on a groin injury, while Zac McEachran could return to the squad.

Oxford City: Ingram, Mills, Learoyd, Willmott, Stonehouse, Ballard, M Janes, Pond, Benjamin, Barcelos, Holgate, Stanley, Basham, Mulvany, Gunn, McEachran, Cook.