Hemel Hempstead face Slough Town at Vauxhall Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire on Saturday, Jan 16 at 4:00 PM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the National League – South, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Hemel Hempstead come into this fixture struggling badly (1W 3L in last 5). Slough Town travel struggling badly (0W 5L in last 5), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

Head-to-head records offer little separation — Hemel Hempstead and Slough Town have split their 10 meetings almost evenly (4W–2D–4W). Their last encounter ended in Slough Town won 3–0. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 3.0 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Hemel Hempstead a slight edge, but Slough Town are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.