JON UNDERWOOD hopes Slough Town can secure their position in the Southern Premier Division play-offs with a good run of form over the next month.

Slough completed a hat-trick of league wins with a 4-3 victory at Cambridge City on Saturday and are now seven points clear of the chasing pack.

The Rebels welcome promotion rivals Merthyr Town to Arbour Park on Saturday (3pm), before a trip to bottom side Cinderford on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Joint-boss Underwood told the Observer: “The top five teams have been there for a long time now and, while we will continue to be chased by those lower down, there is a little bit of breathing space now.

“Our first aim is to try to secure a spot in the top five with a good run over the next month, and then we can start to look up.

“We had a wobble in January but appear to have turned that corner now, but we’ve just got to keep on winning.

“Merthyr play very similar to us and Weymouth, they like to play football, so I’m sure it will be a great game to watch at Arbour Park.

“Some teams come here and like to sit back but Merthyr will not. They like to come out and play football, so it will be a very good game to watch.

“There’s nothing between us and Merthyr but not many sides can say they’re unbeaten against them this season.”

He added: “Cinderford are scrapping for their lives on a less than perfect pitch, but we proved on Saturday we can do that.

“These games are dangerous because they're battling to stay up with a change in manager and new players.

“They will have a real go at staying up because no-one wants to drop out of this league.

“It will be another awkward and difficult game but we showed on Saturday we're capable of dealing with it and getting a result.

“Hopefully we can go there, work hard and get another win.”