SLOUGH Town joint-boss Neil Baker insists results in pre-season do not matter as he and fellow manager Jon Underwood assess all the options available to them this summer.

The Rebels recorded their first pre-season win when beating Godalming Town 8-0 on Saturday after a 2-2 draw with Bracknell Town last Thursday, both matches played on the artificial surface at Langley Academy.

Baker is pleased with the amount of goals his team are scoring but he believes it is more important that they gel with places still up for grabs for the first league match on Saturday, August 6 at home to St Neots Town.

Baker told the Observer: “To be honest, Godalming weren’t in great shape. They were not as good as they could or might have been, but our lads worked hard to do the right things.

“I’m pleased we managed to score as many goals as we did but there are a few things that need to be worked on.

“You can’t replicate a league game in pre-season because it’s a completely different type of match. All you can do is get minutes in and do the right things at the right time.

“I’m not really that bothered about winning games in pre-season because it doesn’t make too much difference. The results do not matter one jot so to win 8-0 on Saturday means just as much as the 4-1 defeat at Didcot.

“The players are getting to know each other and the main use for pre-season is getting them to gel. The intensity in pre-season sessions is high and we still expect that in the side.”

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Lee Barney (gold) scores one of his four goals in the 8-0 win against Godalming Town on Saturday.

Slough led 3-0 at the half-time break on Saturday with a brace from Harrison Gilkes and a goal by summer signing Charlie Moone.

Godalming were formerly managed by Rebels bosses, Baker and Underwood, and Slough stuck five more goals past them after the break.

Striker Lee Barney helped himself to a four-goal haul while Sean Fraser also got his name on the scoresheet.

Next up for The Rebels is the Hendon Invitation Cup at Silver Jubilee Park this Saturday and Sunday.

The semi-finals take place on Saturday with Hendon against Carshalton Athletic at 1pm, followed by Farnborough versus Slough at 3.30pm.

On Sunday, the first game at 1pm will be between the two losing semi-finalists, with the two winners taking part in the final at 3.30pm.

“We will be looking to get 90 minutes into most of the squad,” said Baker, who will be without Guy Hollis, Warren Harris and Simon Dunn for the tournament.

“We’re not sitting here thinking we want to win the tournament. It’s about getting two games of football into the squad.

“Our strongest side is most likely to be against Harrow Borough (Saturday, August 2), but we’ve got so many options at the moment we probably don’t know what our best side is.

“We’re still looking at a few players and will make a decision in the next few weeks.”