Sittingbourne’s new look side head into the Bank Holiday weekend looking to maintain their perfect start to the South East League season as they welcome East Grinstead Town to the Staxson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

The Brickies won through in the FA Cup last weekend with a 1-0 win at VCD a win that could have been by so many more as boss Ryan Maxwell told KSN this week.  

“To win last weekend was the most important thing,” he told us. “Those who saw the game know it could have been a very different score to the single goal win, and it should have been as we had multiple opportunities hitting the woodwork four times, missed two penalties never mind the string of good saves the VCD keeper made. It was frustrating to watch but it was our third win in a row and a clean sheet to boot so positives going into the Bank Holiday weekend.” 

The Brickies started their home campaign with a 2-1 win over Margate ten days ago and Maxwell said. “A lot of people have tipped them to be the favourites this year to win the League so to get them so early in our first home game was always going to be a tough ask for our new look team, it is the best time to play us as we haven’t fully gelled yet and wont still for a little while!  

“We realised that if we could get a result against Margate so early on that it would put us in a great position, and we’re obviously delighted to get off to a winning start back home at “Fortress Woodstock” where we were incredible last season and it was important to keep our unbeaten run here going for as long as possible. To come through against Margate with three points and a strong performance was fantastic!” 

“We won the game with a genuine piece of class from a real class player from JB (Fischer), there’s only a few players in this division who can do that, and he is certainly one of them and sums up his class and technique.”  

The Frenchman who missed nearly all of last season and most of the previous one through a horrible knee injury, and his return has delighted the Brickies boss. “He’s been on great form pre-season and has continued it into the league and it was fitting that after the turmoil he has been through with injury to produce a goal like that on his first home start in nearly two years was so fitting and significant!” 

“We face an East Grinstead side on Saturday who haven’t had the best start, but it is still such early days. Some teams will start well and fade, some will start poorly and get strong so you can’t read too much into the early results if I am honest, ours included! I know some of their players as we have played them before and there are some that we don’t.  

“So we make sure that we will have taken everything we can in preparation for this game, we are at home again, we must keep winning and ultimately, we have to know exactly what East Grinstead will challenge us with as we never take anyone for granted. We never have and we never will, and we will make sure that we are at it come Saturday!” 

“And then on Monday we have the derby with Sheppey!” 

“We know how important a game with them is for our brilliant supporters, we know that! It’s a derby and it’s a very good occasion, even in my time here we have had some real humdingers and very eventful, exciting games.  

“We know it’s a new look Sheppey with the change of manager etc., we are well aware of the challenge that awaits us on the other side of the Kings Ferry Bridge but we have to make sure that we take care of Saturday first, knowing that Monday will come quickly after it, but have to focus on Saturday and East Grinstead first!”