SLOUGH Town joint-manager Jon Underwood believes that consistency within the team has been the key to their improved form in the National League South this season, writes Rob Stevens.

The Rebels suffered defeat in their opening three matches but were compounded by injuries and suspension and are now on a six match unbeaten run.

Slough drew 1-1 with St Albans City on Saturday before an impressive performance saw them beat Hemel Hempstead Town 2-0 at Arbour Park on Tuesday.

Underwood told the Observer: “It has certainly helped getting more players back. We tried not to harp on too much about injuries at the start of the season but we were affected.

“We were not far off it but we weren’t our normal selves in those first three games.

“We had to start somewhere and we got those two draws, against Weymouth and Maidstone, two tough games but with better performances and that steadied the ship and stopped the rot of the defeats.

“The August Bank Holiday weekend was of course massive for us. Those two wins gave us even more confidence.

“It feels like we’re back to where we should be in terms of our form and we’ve got great options on the bench with other players coming back to fitness as well.

“We didn’t panic after those first three games. It would have been easy to panic but we’ve got belief in the players and knew when we got some consistency back in the team we would be okay.

“We’ve only made one change in each of the last two games because we’re finding some form and don’t want to disrupt that.

“It’s frustrating for those that are not in the team but as managers you don’t want to change a winning formula and three wins and three draws is a great run in this league.

“It is a tough league to stay unbeaten in six. We’ve beaten Bath, Dulwich and Hemel and all three sides were in the top four when we beat them, they are big wins for us.”

Slough now stand in 13th position in the league table and just two points behind the play-off spots ahead of a trip to Eastbourne Borough this Saturday (3pm).

The Rebels won in the league and FA Cup at Eastbourne last season but Underwood had warned that any complacency from his side will prove costly.

He said: “We had a good time down there last season, winning in the league and the FA Cup. It was a good ground for us.

“Eastbourne have strengthened this season. We haven’t seen them and will do our homework but when you look at their side on paper it’s strong. They’ve made some good signings but probably not started as well as they would’ve expected to.

“It’s not an easy place to go so, as with every game in this league, there will be little in it and we will need to perform well.

“If you turn up but are not on it, you get beat, it’s a simple as that.”