Slough Town head into the new National League South season with real momentum behind them, after a 2-1 pre-season win over Oxford City on July 28 capped a summer of squad rebuilding under new manager Alan Julian. The Rebels open their league campaign at home to Ebbsfleet United on Saturday, August 8.
At Arbour Park, Oxford City's Jaiden Drakes-Thomas curled in an early opener, but Slough responded through Zac McEachran's second-half equaliser before Ruben Shakpoke struck late to snatch the win. Goalkeeper Josh McNamara, one of the club's summer arrivals, was called into action repeatedly to keep the visitors at bay.
The result is an early marker for Julian, who joined Arbour Park in May after an extensive recruitment process, taking over from Scott Davies. A former goalkeeper who made over 660 senior appearances across a two-decade playing career including spells at Stevenage, Gillingham and Newport County, Julian moved into management at Hampton & Richmond Borough before this, his first campaign in charge at Slough.
He has used the close season to reshape the squad, bringing in nine new faces including midfielder Latrell Humphrey-Ewers, goalkeeper Josh McNamara, defenders Joe Morrison and Josh Brooking, striker Godlove Oppong, and 19-year-old forward George Vorster on a permanent move from Sutton United. Left-back Arthur Gregory has joined on a season-long loan.
With one final pre-season fixture to come, attention now turns to the curtain-raiser against Ebbsfleet United, and to a matchday support that showed up in force behind the team through the summer friendlies.