SLOUGH Town joint-manager Neil Baker has hailed his side for making an outstanding start in the National League South this season.

The Rebels suffered defeat in three of their opening seven league fixtures, including two losses over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

However, Slough have risen up to fifth position in the league table thanks to four consecutive in September, the most recent a 2-0 home victory against Hungerford Town on Saturday.

Baker believes the Rebels received some unfair criticism earlier in the season and he has praised his side for turning their belief into results.

He told the Observer: “You couldn’t have asked for a better month.

“Everyone has played four league games in September and only us and St Albans have won all four, so it’ll be between us and them for the Manger of the Month award I guess.

“It has been a great month and the standout results have been the Eastbourne win, when we went down to 10 men, and Chelmsford, where we won 1-0.

“We’ve got to say a massive congratulations to the boys.

“Some of the players and us got some unfair stick after the Bank Holiday Weekend when we lost two games.

“But, it’s difficult to set people’s standards because no matter what league you go into they just expect you to win every match and that’s not the case.

“We didn’t have a great Bank Holiday Weekend but we’ve sure backed that up now with four wins in the league and getting through in the FA Cup.”

Baker continued: “We’ve got our targets as a group and that hasn’t changed.

“There’s plenty of belief and most people will know that we shouldn’t be in a relegation battle with 20 points after 11 games.

“You are almost at two points a game which is an outstanding start in a new league. When you come up, to have 20 points from 11 games is just amazing really.

“We’ve got a good group and were still missing Ben Harris, Guy Hollis and Simon Dunn last weekend, so we only get stronger.”

Slough turn their attention back to the FA Cup and a home third qualifying round tie against Bristol Manor Farm this Saturday (3pm).

Baker commented: “We saw 90 minutes from their win against Basingstoke because we’re lucky enough to have good contacts with them.

“We had somebody watching Bristol last weekend and I’ll also get some feedback from Thatcham, so we’ve done our due diligence.

“Bristol put five goals past Basingstoke and that’s no mean feat. They will be coming here to cause an upset, the same as Sholing did.

“I understand they’re well-backed financially and one of the favourites for their league, so we will have to be on our metal and on our guard.

“Hopefully we can get through into the fourth qualifying round because then you’re one win away from the big boys again, which is what you want.”

He added: “My biggest concern with the Sholing game was, often you have a good cup run but then the following year you go out to a side levels below because you almost think it’s a given.

“That was my one big concern and it will be on Saturday. Bristol have got nothing to lose and we are the favourites, so it's another banana skin.

"If we can get through it's another £15,000 in prize money for the club, which makes it £24,000 for us this season, and that's big money."

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