Slough Town v Dover Athletic

DOVER hope Slough Town will be suffering from an FA Cup hangover when they make another bid to kick-start their season on Saturday.

The Rebels saw Yeading draw a plum tie at Premiership giants Newcastle after losing the second-round clash 3-1 at Wexham Park on Saturday.

On the season’s opening day Whites, under Richard Langley, beat Slough 3-1 at the Hoverspeed Stadium but have won only two league games since.

In Saturday’s deflating 4-2 home defeat by Wealdstone Steve Browne’s men were undone by basic defensive errors as they shipped three goals in nine traumatic minutes.

Browne said: “It’s been the story since I’ve taken over. We should have been 1-0 up in the first minute but a shot was cleared off the line, and then they broke and scored a cracking goal.

“We have to show more desire and defend with our lives. I can honestly say we haven’t played a team that’s been better than us but we have to be ruthless at both ends.

“When you’re defending you have to be effective, and if it means going back to basics and getting away from pass and move then we’ll do that.”

Browne would not be drawn on specific names but said some of the players he inherited at Dover were not happy and might be transfer-listed.

He said: “When there’s a sinking ship everybody wants to get off the boat, but I’m not going to walk away, though if I don’t turn it around I might be sacked. I have to be given the time to rebuild the side.”

Any departures would make room for new arrivals. A ball-winning midfielder is top of his shopping list and he had a player at training this week with a view to signing him for Saturday.

At least Browne was able to declare a clean bill of health as Daniel Braithwaite is expected to be back in the side for Saturday.

Craig Wilkins should start the game, after the lingering effects of food poisoning restricted him to a few minutes as substitute against Wealdstone.

Browne spoke to KM-fm Sports Editor ahead of the weekend's action...