Sittingbourne’s rise into the Southeast Play Off places gained further momentum this week ahead of what is potentially a pivotal week for Reece Prestedge and the Brickies. 

After beating Crowborough Athletic 4-0 on Tuesday to move fourth in the table, Sittingbourne travel to face Danny Kedwell’s AFC Croydon Athletic this weekend – the side six points and two places ahead of the Brickies.

Three points on Saturday will take Prestedge to within touching distance of second with two massive home games to come next week – on Tuesday, Sheppey visit Woodstock and the leaders Three Bridges come to Swale next weekend. 

But first, the Brickies must get past a Croydon side they edged 4-3 in the home game earlier in the season. 

“We will go there with belief and confidence of our last result and hope that we can go to Croydon and get a result ourselves.” 

Tuesday’s win saw the Brickies take four points from two home games (they drew 3-3 with Sevenoaks Town last Saturday) – a return that left the manager reflecting, “It’s still four points on the board! Of course, we would have wanted six points as I have always said to get maximum points from home games, but we are still in the process of getting back into the full swing of things after not playing a League game for nearly a month.”

“We are still in a handy place!” A handy place off the back of unbeaten run since the manager took over that now stretches to fifteen and a return or thirty-six points from a possible forty-five! 

“We make sure that we are a team that works hard and when we are at home,” the manager told us, “No one outworks us as if they do, you are already one-nil down.”

“The boys went into Tuesday as they always do, and I thought we were good on the night!” 

Looking at the mouthwatering week ahead for his side, Prestedge said, “We know we have to play them at some stage, and they have just fallen over the next three games. It is what it is and if you want to compete at the top, you have to play the top!”  

“I am expecting a really tough game on Saturday because they are second in the League, have good players and a good manager. Yes, there are possible Play Offs implications maybe for both sides on Saturday, but we have just got to keep taking one game at a time.”

“I don’t think there’s any added pressure on Saturday – it will be a question of who is better on the day.” 

“This is now the business end of the season and literally we have to take each game as it comes, and each game is the biggest game of the season. I know how the fans feel about Sheppey but that is after Saturday – Croydon is the most important game for the moment!”