ANDY Whing says Banbury United’s unbeaten run will not be a burden as they look to make history this weekend.

The Puritans’ 4-2 win over Thame United in the Pitching In Southern League Challenge Cup second round made it 19 games without defeat this season.

Next up is Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup first round clash with Barrow, who sit 15th in Sky Bet League Two – three divisions above Banbury.

Whing’s side have not lost a competitive game since bowing out to Canvey Island at this stage of last season’s competition, with the Southern League campaign suspended and then cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Banbury’s unbeaten run is on the line, as is the chance to go further in the Cup than any of their predecessors, but their manager insists it only drives them on.

Whing said: “We felt we should have done it last year.

“That was our last defeat, so it still rankles with us as we should have gone one further.

“That still motivates us now: Keeping this unbeaten run going and making history for the football club.”

Banbury’s victory over Thame on Tuesday keeps them fighting on four fronts going into Saturday’s game, which is live on ITV4.

Ryan Blake scored for the visitors in the first and final minutes, but two goals from Chinedu Osadebe, plus one each for Ethan Johnston and Jay Williams put the Puritans out of sight,

Banbury are third in Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, while they go to Farnborough in the Buildbase FA Trophy first round next Saturday.

Whing said: “You can hear it in the players: ‘Keep this run going’.

“This has never happened in my career.

“I don’t care what standard it is, this is a competitive league.

“We’ve played Bath who are the league above (in the FA Cup), we’ve played Northern Premier League teams away from home.

“We’ve got a great dressing room, there’s a really good feel about the place and we’re playing really well.”

Banbury are also on a six-game winning run.

The second of those victories, a 3-1 triumph at Bromsgrove Sporting in Premier Central, broke the club’s previous record start of 13 unbeaten matches, set in 1961 as Banbury Spencer

Their FA Cup fourth qualifying round win over Bath City came four days later, as they knocked out Vanarama National League South opposition in front of 1,500 fans at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium.

Whing is delighted Banbury have kept the hammer down since their Cup exploits and believes it will be a useful tool on Saturday.

He said: “We literally go from game to game, we don’t look too far ahead.

“Even when this draw was made we still had four important games to tick off in this period and we won them all.

“That’s great credit to the players, they’ve stayed focused in what’s in front of us.

“Hopefully we take the confidence from our league and cup form into the game and give a good account of ourselves.”