Fifth placed Sittingbourne head to sixth placed Merstham on Saturday in the Southeast division with Reece Prestedge’s side looking to extend the gap between the two sides to six points. 

Since taking over eight games ago, the Brickies have won seven and only a 1-1 draw at Herne Bay in their last game prevented a maximum return after the new boss has seen his side win seven games with the last two against Eastbourne and Beckenham by a nine-one aggregate! 

Talking to KSN ahead of his first Christmas back in the manager’s hot seat, the Brickies boss told us, “Being in management again is exciting at the moment and we will be looking to carry things on the way we have started going to Merstham on Saturday.” 

“We have done alright so far, but we won’t get carried away obviously as football can change very, very quickly but we’re doing alright,” a very modest Prestedge said – it’s twenty-two points from eight games in charge in the run up to Christmas. 

“Where we have got to with the games that we have done so far, we are now ready to play these sort of games that we have coming up,” Prestedge told us as he prepares to take his side to Surrey and then the Brickies welcome fierce rivals Sheppey United for the Staxson Stadium’s first game of 2026 on January third.

“These are the games that we want to be in if we want to go higher,” the manager went on, “these are the games that you want to fight for and be a part of.”

“It’s the time of the year where you want to go and start beating the teams who are up around you!” 

“We travel at the weekend to give us the boost and the cushion going into the New Year. If we win it will be six points between us and Merstham, same games played.”

“I feel like at the moment we are in a good place and if we can create a gap, we have to take our chances and our opportunity.”

“Merstham will be a very tough game, they are a very good outfit. The manager (Jamie Decruz) has been there a few years, and he has always had a good team, and they are hardworking honest teams, and we will have to go there with full respect as well.” 

“Not playing Boxing Day, this year is a bit strange,” Prestedge admitted with the Isthmian League Clubs choosing to just play one festive game on Saturday and nothing Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

“It will be the first time that I haven’t been involved in a Boxing Day game for a few years which is unusual. There are probably too many memories of this time of year to choose a highlight.”

“Through my career it’s been derbies at Christmas and sometimes even back-to-back against the same team when I was still playing.”

“It’s a bit different these days… it is always nice on Boxing Day as you have families at home on Christmas and Boxing Day is the day out with most of the family, but not this year!”