Captain Ochieng says new look Rebels will have a point to prove this season

Henry Ochieng in action last season. Photo: George Beck

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After a handful of training sessions and a couple of pre-season matches, it’s too early to say how Slough Town’s exciting, dynamic yet youthful squad will get on in the National League South this season.

Player manager Scott Davies will be hopeful he can lead the Rebels to better than their 16th placed finish last season, however, with many of last season’s key players having moved on this summer, there must be an element of doubt as to how this new-look Rebels side will adapt to life in this increasingly competitive division.

So far, 10 signings have been made by the club in the early weeks of the close season, with Davies claiming to have got most of his first-choice targets.

They include the goalkeeper Adam Desbois and striker Wiktor Makowski and will be led by the Rebels’ new captain Henry Ochieng. He said it’s an honour to take over the role from Josh Jackman - who has left the club for family and work reasons after 10 seasons at Arbour Park - and believes this new crop of players have a point to prove.

“There’s been a changeover in players,” he said.

“But obviously, Scotty in his recruitment, he finds the gems and hidden gems in non-league. That’s something exciting to look forward to this season.

“What we’ve seen in the first two friendlies is a lot of new faces who are extremely enthusiastic, energetic and here to prove a point, which is a good thing to have in a team.

On becoming club captain, he added: “Yeah, it’s an honour. It’s big shoes to fill from Josh Jackman last year. I’ve got a lot on my plate but I’m one that leads by example both on and off the pitch and I hope to take it naturally in my stride. I think that’s why pre-season games are there, to help players bed in. We have seven or eight in total and only four or five weeks now till the start of the season. We’ll have our work cut out but I’m sure the work that we do in training and in these matches will come through in the first few weeks of the season.”

The Rebels have already played their first two pre-season matches, 3-1 home wins over Virginia Water on Friday and Southall on Tuesday evening.

Ochieng sat out the first game, when one of the Rebels’ trialists scored twice and set up their third for another trialist late on.

A youthful, experimental side, with several development squad players, featured in that run out, while a more experienced team featuring Ochieng and more of the club’s new signings played against Southall. Tyrique Clarke fired the hosts ahead before Johnny Goddard curled home to make it 2-1 before half-time. Summer signing from Flackwell Heath, Wiktor Makowski, then coolly chipped home their third in the closing stages after running onto a through ball from Nnaemeka Anyanwu.

Reflecting on the two games, Ochieng said: “Yes, two different squads for both games. I got to watch the game on Friday and then played yesterday against Southall. It was great to be back on the pitch again after a few weeks of rest.

“People do say the results don’t matter in pre-season, but you obviously do want to go strong into a season off the back of a few good wins. It’s a good habit to get into. The new squad are showing themselves with Tyrique scoring yesterday and Wiktor doing so as well. They’re showing what they’re capable of and what they can bring to the team.”

It’s too early to judge this group of players off the back of a couple of warm up matches and a week’s pre-season training, but Ochieng is confident they can gel in the week’s leading up to their first league fixture, away to Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, August 9.

“Of course, that’s our aim (to improve on 16th) we want to improve and progress in every season. We changed our whole squad pretty much this summer and have so far had a handful of sessions and two pre-season games so it’s difficult to say where we are at. I’m sure in the next few weeks that will be more telling.

“The season balances out eventually. You obviously get harder periods, and every match will be hard, but some periods are harder than others.

“We’re looking at the fixture list and preparing in blocks as we usually do. We’ll also be looking to go as far as we can in the cup competitions as well. There are some great games around the festive period and some derby games as well which will be great, both home and away.”