MARK SCOTT remains confident that Slough Town can beat any team in the Southern Premier Division this season despite The Rebels losing their unbeaten home league record on Saturday.

Slough suffered a 1-0 defeat to promotion rivals Hitchin Town at Arbour Park with Ben Walster scoring the game’s only goal in the second half.

Scott admits The Rebels were not at their best on Saturday but he is confident there is a lot more to come.

The Slough keeper told the Observer: “I don’t think we played at our best. In the first half we were not playing the ball at all.

“It was a bit like last season. We just were not keeping the ball well enough and Hitchin out-battled us really.

“The lead up to the game was brilliant, and last week we were brilliant, but we just have had one of those days. You can’t explain it but people do have off-days.

“We started playing better once they scored and we had chances, there was more than one cleared off the line. I just flung myself at the ball hoping for the best but unfortunately it was cleared off the line.

VIDEO: James Dobson hits the post with a first-half free-kick in the 1-0 defeat to Hitchin Town on Saturday.

“We’ve got a lot more in us than what we showed on Saturday and we can beat anyone in this league if we’re at the top of our game.

“It’s a tough league this year and people around the top are doing well, but I believe in what we have and think we have enough to beat anyone.”

Slough turn their attention to the FA Trophy and a tough second qualifying round tie away to Welsh club and league rivals Merthyr Town this Saturday (1pm).

Scott commented: “It’s an early kick-off so will be a nice journey. It’s a big game and a break from the league again, so hopefully we will go there and get through to the next round, and then focus on the league again.”

The Rebels joint-manager Neil Baker added: “It’s not an easy game going to Merthyr.

“We have got a few tough games coming up and this is the stage of the season where we’ve got to make sure we bounce back and put in performances.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Mark Scott saw an injury-time header cleared off the line as Slough Town suffered a first home league defeat on Saturday.

“We were not quite there on Saturday but you have got to put in good performances.

“We’ve just got to deal with the games coming up, and in a way you want to have league matches to try to and bounce back as quick as you can with three points.

"But, we're going to have to wait a couple of weeks to do that, and I'm sure that once we do we will be okay, but it was just a frustrating day on Saturday.

"Merthyr are a good side and it's a tough place to go. It is a long journey and never easy really but it's one of those things, we have to go there.

“There are one of the best sides at home and we have got to go there and try and get a result."