We are back on the road this weekend as we take a trip to Arbour Park to face a struggling Slough.

The Rebels sit just one place outside the relegation zone and has recently seen the departure of Neil Baker and Jon Underwood who were at the helm for seven years. Taken over by current players Scott Davies and Lee Togwell, they are looking to find their form again. Winless in their last 13 league games, they would fancy now being the time to pick up three points with a home crowd. They played midweek, unlike the Hawks, in a goalless draw to Concord Rangers. The Beachboys dropped to 10 men after Bettamer was shown read inside half an hour for a poor challenge.

It’s the Hawks who will also be looking to get back to winning ways. Since the win at Chippenham, the Hawks have drawn at Tonbridge and lost to Worthing on home turf. The latter was a 5-1 defeat to a five star Mackerel Men. The Hawks could not get going and a hattrick from front man Kealy was the catalyst for Faal to get our only goal – a looped header. Mo Dabre’s late brace meant Worthing had a rampant day along the coast. It was the visitors that were more clinical as Hawks had chances going begging.

In terms of team news, the Rebels welcomed two new faces in the week: Matt Hall from Met Police and Jefferson Louis on a dual registration from Thame United. Johnny Goddard and Joe Dandy are injured, while George Wells was ill on Saturday but is likely to be back.

The Hawks’ number nine Jason Prior is still out for a week or so following his shoulder knock against Tonbridge, while Leon Baker and Gio Crichlow have joined Hartley Wintney and Hemel Hempstead on temporary deals respectively. For the longer term injuries, Ross Worner and Joash Nembhard are slowly getting back towards recovery but are not yet available to start training.

We have already played Slough once this season as they become the first side we face for the second time. You’d have to turn your calendars back to the first match of the season and it was a 3-1 victory at the Draper Tools Community Stadium. McCarthy, Roberts, and Rooney were on the scoresheet that day to give us our first three points.

Written by Adam Nixon