Match Preview: Slough Town (H) - 24th February 2026

Photo courtesy of Ben Cole

By Josh Cole

The Stags are on home soil once more tomorrow night as we welcome Slough Town to The Snows Stadium!

Last time out we beat third placed Hornchurch 1-0 in a game that we deserved more goals. CLICK HERE to read the match report from that game!

SLOUGH TOWN – THEIR SEASON SO FAR:

The Rebels are one place behind us in 15^th place on 41 points from 32 games played. CLICK HERE to view the full league table.

Slough started off the season with just one win at home against Ebbsfleet inside the month of August, playing five other games, they lost two games and drew the remaining three.

In September they picked up their second win of the league campaign, beating Chippenham Town 3-2. However, travelled to Torquay the game after and lost, 4-2. Their FA Cup journey started against Welling and after requiring a replay, they managed to get through, but this couldn’t translate to league form as in their next match they lost 2-5 against Hornchurch.

They won another FA Cup match, this time beating Bedfont Sports Club 1-2 in the third qualifying round and followed that up with a 2-3 away win at Hampton & Richmond as well as a victory in the B&B Senior Cup.

Fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup saw Slough face Enfield Town, and they progressed into the first round proper with a 3-2 win. However, their league form took a hit, with The Rebels losing three back-to-back games where they scored just three and conceded 11.

Slough bounced back well again in the FA Cup, beating National League opponents Altrincham 2-1 but couldn’t back that up as they lost their next two games, both in the league.

An 8-0 thrashing of Beaconsfield in the B&B Senior Cup provided a nice break from league action but they couldn’t replicate their FA Cup successes into the FA Trophy as they suffered defeat to Gloucester on penalties. They ended November with two wins and two losses in the league.

Into December, Slough’s FA Cup run ended against Macclesfield in the Second-Round Proper stage. They then continued their run in the B&B Senior Cup with a 3-0 home win. The Rebels then had four games to round off December and won two, drew one and lost one.

They then carried this momentum into the new year with more wins than losses in January, helping to steer them clear of the relegation spots, two of their three wins were outstanding, winning 0-3 away at Hemel Hempstead, a playoff team and a 5-0 home win against Chelmsford.

Slough have had four games so far in February, starting the month with two consecutive wins against Maidstone and Weston-super-Mare, followed by a draw against Horsham and a 4-1 loss in their last fixture against Worthing away.

LAST FIVE: AFC TOTTON

Vs Hornchurch | Home | ENLS | Won 1-0

Goalscorer: Own Goal 39’

Vs Hampton & Richmond | Home | ENLS | Drew 1-1

Goalscorer: Ash Clarke 33’

Vs Ebbsfleet United | Away | ENLS | Lost 4-0

Vs Dover Athletic | Home | ENLS | Won 3-0

Goalscorers: Scott Rendell 27’, Luke Hallett 34’ & Tony Lee 49’

Vs Tonbridge Angels | Away | ENLS | Lost 4-1

Goalscorers: Ash Clarke 30’

LAST FIVE: SLOUGH TOWN

Vs Worthing | Away | ENLS | Lost 4-1

Goalscorer: Wiktor Makowski 90+1’

Vs Horsham | Home | ENLS | Drew 0-0

Vs Weston-super-Mare | Home | ENLS | Won 1-0

Goalscorer: Ruben Shakpoke 53’

Vs Maidstone United | Away | ENLS | Won 1-2

Goalscorer: Basil Tuma 61’ & Jaiden Drakes-Thomas 71’

Vs Chelmsford City | Home | ENLS | Won 5-0

Goalscorer: Basil Tuma 19’ Wiktor Makowski 28’ (PEN) 41’ (PEN) Tyrese Dyce 55’ & Harvey Walker 69’

COMPARING THE STATS (all comps)

OPPOSITION PLAYERS TO WATCH:

GOALIE/DEFENCE: ADAM DESBOIS

Goalkeeper Adam Desbois signed for Slough Town in June 2025 ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The 24-year-old joined the Rebels after a period of recovery following an ACL injury which curtailed his time at Eastbourne Borough. Now back to full fitness, Adam is ready to make his mark once again in the National League South.

Desbois enjoyed a standout season with Hampton & Richmond Borough in 2023/24, making 54 appearances in all competitions and playing a crucial role in helping the Beavers finish 9th, just one point shy of the play-off places. His consistently excellent performances earned him the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Season award.

Adam began his career with hometown club Reading, before moving to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2019. He spent three years with the Seagulls, gaining experience and development in a professional environment, before departing in summer 2022 in search of regular first team football.

Following his departure from Brighton, Adam joined Hartley Wintney, before stepping up to the National League South with a move to Cheshunt during the 2022/23 season, where he further enhanced his growing reputation.

After leaving Hampton in May 2024, he signed for Eastbourne Borough, but a previously undetected ACL tear in his right knee led to surgery and a spell on the sidelines.

MIDFIELD: JAIDEN DRAKES-THOMAS

Jaiden Drakes-Thomas joined the club in May 2025 and he has a good season from midfield for The Rebels, scoring seven goals in all comps.

Jaiden is a 20-year-old midfielder who started last season at Dover Athletic, playing twice and scoring once. He then moved to Wingate & Finchley in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Jaiden came through the ranks at Colchester United, playing for the Under 18 and Under 21 sides there, and then moved to Sevenoaks Town, making 22 appearances for the club in 2023/24 before his move to the coast. He joined Dover Athletic in March 2024.

ATTACK: WIKTOR MAKOWSKI

Slough Town signed 22-year-old striker Wiktor Makowski in May 2025 and this season he has been a goal machine for Slough, with 17 goals in 36 appearances.

Wiktor, a former U23 player, makes his return to Arbour Park having spent the last two seasons at Flackwell Heath. In the 2023/24 season, he won the Combined Counties Premier Division North with Flackwell, scoring 20 goals (four of those for Risborough Rangers).

In the 2024/25 season, he helped The Heathens to the Southern League Division One Central playoff final and the Berks & Bucks FA Senior Cup final, scoring 41 goals with 22 assists.

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee - Benjamin McDonald

Assistant Ref 1 - Thomas Green

Assistant Ref 2 - Michael Smith

Fourth Official - Jacob Wright

GO STAGS