Davies sidelined by sickness bug and Rebels left reeling ahead of major tests

Player manager Scott Davies’ illness this week has further weakened a Slough Town side that was already stretched to breaking point by injury.

Assistant Tony Fontenelle said he’d never known Davies to be so ill, and without their player boss on the pitch, the Rebels were beaten by Salisbury 2-1 and Weston Super Mare 5-1.

The matches don’t get any easier for the Rebels - who’ve fallen to 19th in the National League South table off the back of those defeats.

Seventh placed Maidstone are the visitors to Arbour Park this Saturday and arrive in Berkshire as one of the league’s in-form sides having beaten Farnborough 2-0 and Eastbourne Borough 3-0 in their most recent league matches.

After Maidstone, the Rebels entertain National League Altrincham in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday week, an enticing tie that Fontenelle hopes the Rebels can do themselves justice in.

“Salisbury hadn’t won all season but knew they were in a false league position,” he said.

“Scotty had to miss the game through illness.

“We had to rejig the starting XI at last notice.

“We created one or two opportunities that we couldn’t quite get on the end of. It was an evenly fought game, and a draw would have been a fair result.

“We also picked up a couple of niggles and injuries with Tarik Gidaree having to go off.

“But in the final minute, Wiktor Makowski had a fabulous opportunity to score, and the keeper has got a toe to it and it’s hit the post.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow. We were hoping to get 3 points from these two away games but unfortunately, we’ve got zero. We’ll have to claw these points back over the course of the season.

Looking ahead he added: “They get easier don’t they. It’s another tough one.

“Maidstone are a full-time side who’ve found their form. They have a couple of our ex-players in John Gilbert and Lexus Beeden.

“It’s going to be another difficult encounter.

“We must nurse our troops and get them back to full fitness as soon as we can.

“I went to watch Altrincham in their cup tie against Harborough Town, and I said to Scotty, they’re an excellent footballing side. They manipulate and move the ball well. All you can ask for in the FA Cup is just to be at home. Anyone who gets to the first round will be a good side.

“They’ll be relishing the chance to play a team from the league below and we’ll be relishing the chance to take on a team from the league above and we’ll be looking to give a good account of ourselves.”