Sittingbourne boss Ryan Maxwell has praised his side’s response from a tough Christmas period that saw the Brickies collect just two points from their three holiday fixtures. 

After draws at Sheppey United and Cray Valley, the Brickies were edged out by the odd goal in five against Ramsgate on New Year’s Day, but since then, Maxwell has seen his side take maximum points from their two games to stay in the Play Off race. 

The Brickies boss told us, “It was a good win at Broadbridge last weekend and I was very pleased with the performance, with everybody in fact; the whole team played well, there were a few stand out performances but I have to say that the general overall performance was complete, and we were very, very good value for the win and the clean sheet.

“We were not really troubled at all considering we were away from home – it gave us two wins and two clean sheets as well! They had beaten Ashford before us in midweek and it was by no means an easy game as I think that Broadbridge’s League position is a little but false as well if I am honest! But we are really pleased that they did not take any points from us, so we go into Saturday off the back of two good performances!” 

“That’s testament to the boys as with no disrespect to any team in this division, there really are no easy games. There are games that we can be expected to win and that brings its own pressure.

“I am pleased where we currently are as let us be honest, we have not had the rub of the green over the Christmas Period. I have been really pleased that the boys have reacted the way that they have positively and professionally winning the last two games. We are really pleased right now and long may that continue!” 

“Christmas was certainly tough for us as we only took the two points from the three games and that was not a fair reflection on how the games went, but I knew that there would be a gap come the end of it with all the other teams with who they were playing.

“So it was vital that we won the last two as there is a gap starting to show within the Play Off places and is starting to get a little bit wider and it’s up to us to stay in it. I made the players aware of the situation weeks ago in fact – we are where we thought we’d be or where we’d hoped to be.

“I said somewhere else that we are short of what our fair return of points should be – there’s a long way to go still as we’ve still got eighteen games left with lots and lots of points to play for but at the end of the day, if we win all our games we are in the Play Offs guaranteed.

“All we want is to be in control of your own destiny and just beyond the halfway point of the season and that is exactly where we are!” 

This weekend, Sevenoaks Town make the trip to the Roman Stadium, Woodstock and Maxwell admitted, “We know that they are a good side on their day. We know that their form has not been great of late, but I also know that that will turn at some point, and we have got to make sure that it is not against us this afternoon.

“They are a good footballing side, we know them very well and what to expect – if we let them “enjoy” themselves we know that they will be a difficult team to beat and we have to make sure that we’re on our best performances and best game because they can hurt teams – they’ve already beaten Ramsgate earlier in the season so they will be no mugs and we will have to be at our best and one hundred percent definitely.”