GUY Hollis backed Slough Town for a return to form after their FA Trophy exit and the Rebels delivered with a 2-0 win against Banbury United on Tuesday.

Hollis admitted Slough were in need of a confidence boost after the 4-2 defeat to Wingate & Finchley in the third qualifying round of the Trophy on Saturday.

The 25-year-old bagged the first goal at Arbour Park in midweek and, after James Dobson netted his 14th of the season, the Rebels were back to winning ways.

Speaking to the Observer after the Trophy defeat, Hollis said: “We need to look at things and get some goals from somewhere, get some confidence back into the boys and take it into the league. That’s our focus now.

“We were doing alright and when you win games it’s easy, but once you lose your head drops and you start to doubt yourself.

“We just need to get back to winning ways and we will do. We will dust ourselves down and that’s our focus. We’re all here to get promoted, that’s the main aim.

“Cups are great when you’re in them but it’s a distraction at the end of the day. Our focus is on the league and getting promoted.

“We’ve got a good bunch of lads, we just need to get back to winning ways because it’ll help us out.”

VIDEO: A James Dobson deflected free-kick, his 14th goal this season, gave Slough a 2-0 lead against Banbury on Tuesday.

The win means Slough move up on place to second in the Southern Premier Division table, four points behind leaders Leamington but with a game in hand.

The Rebels welcome Frome Town to Arbor Park this Saturday (3pm) before a tough trip to third in the table Chippenham Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Hollis knows that Slough must stop conceding goals early on in games and be more clinical at the other end.

The central defender said: “We gave Wingate two early goals when we weren’t switched on. The first was a ball over the top that we didn’t react to, then Paul Stonehouse got a bit tight and was done on the turn.

“You can’t give teams two-goal head starts but we’ve been doing that a bit recently and have always had to fight back.

“We got a goal and thought we would press on. We were on top then but half-time probably came at the wrong time for us and the right time for them. It kills your momentum.

“We gave it a good go but they came out and got the third goal. The fourth was when we pressed forward.

Here's the goal from @guyhollis thanks to @sloughtownrebel: pic.twitter.com/izQQAwLlwd

— Slough Town FC (@sloughtownfc) November 29, 2016

VIDEO: Guy Hollis gives Slough the lead against Banbury at Arbour Park.

“It’s a shame but it wasn’t our priority to go and win the FA Trophy and now we can focus on the league.”

Hollis continued: “Neil [Baker] and Jon [Underwood] gave us a bit of a talking to at half-time. They got the negatives out the way early and told us we’ve gone two goals down at home again.

“But, then we looked at the positives. We got a goal back and were on the up. We just wanted to carry that through to the second-half.

“We started alright, for 10-15 minutes we were still on top, but then they got the third goal and it put us on the back foot.

“We got a goal back but then they hit us on the break again.

“We had four or fives times the amount of crosses into the box than they had, but they were clinical and we weren’t. Things weren’t really falling for us.

“Their two centre backs defended really well. They were aggressive and winning the first and second ball.

“All over the pitch they done well and were probably deserved winners, but you would think we would have got a few more goals with the amount of crosses we put into the box.”

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Guy Hollis heads Slough into the lead in the 2-0 win against Banbury at Arbour Park on Tuesday.

He added: “It’s not an excuse but we’ve had two changes in the back four, Sean Fraser coming in at centre back and Nathan Smart out on the right, and Paul is carrying a bit of a knock on his hamstring.

“However, conceding early goals is happening too much and we had a chat after the game. We need to start better.

“When you’re winning nine games on the ounce that stuff doesn’t happen, but we’re now in a bit of a rut and have got to get ourselves out of it quickly if we want to have ambitions of going up.”