Sittingbourne moved to within three points of the South East play-off places on Tuesday with a comfortable derby win over Ashford United and face another Kent derby at the Staxson Stadium on Saturday when Deal Town come to Swale for the second time this season.

Much has changed for the Brickies since they edged the Hoops out of the Kent Senior Cup in September, as Steve King’s side arrive at Woodstock to face a Sittingbourne side looking to make it twelve points out of twelve under new boss Reece Prestedge.

Since Prestedge’s return to the Staxson, the Brickies have beaten the Athletics of Crowborough and VCD and eased past Ashford on Tuesday to get up the weekends clash between two of the in-form sides.

“Saturday’s game with Deal will be tough,” he said. Every game is hard at the moment especially in this transitional period – we need to be on it from the start; aggressive, hard press and the work ethic that I have been talking about has to be there every game the way it has been for the last three.”

“Reflecting on his first game back at Woodstock, Prestedge admitted to KSN this week, “It was good to be back on Tuesday and obviously the result (against Ashford) was great.

“Every home game has to be like Tuesday – the work ethic, the creativity, and making sure we get the maximum points! To win was massive in our first home game – we have to be looking at maximum points from your home games and have to make your home ground a fortress so that if anyone does take points from you, they have to have a damned good game! Your home is where the maximum points have to be.

“The support in midweek was terrific. To get over 300 – close to the average – on a Tuesday night, a cold Tuesday night, a wet Tuesday night, it was incredible to be fair, and it really helped. The game itself followed on the two at Crowborough and VCD. If you look at the three games, you can. 

“I hope, see the progress in what we are trying to do, what style we are bringing to the side. The work ethic has always been there and that needs to say as we have to start winning the ball up higher and putting pressure on teams in their own half, and it can only get better with more time and training with the boys off the pitch.

“In the Ashford win, the Brickies had father and son on the bench in the shape of Derek and Zayshaun Asamoah and both were introduced during the second period.

“It was great to see Del’s son Zayshaun come on alongside his dad on Tuesday,” the Brickies boss said, admitting,

“I never dreamed I would ever be doing that as a manager! Zay came training last week and was really lively. I was told that he had been coming with his dad for a little while so I asked about his situation as we are short of numbers, and I couldn’t be more pleased with him Tuesday night to be fair.” 

“The recruitment is going well – we have some approaches out and we are just at the moment waiting to talk with a few players and hopefully we can get some of them through the door soon.”