Sittingbourne’s new striker Danny Parish has been talking about signing for Ryan Maxwell’s side and his hoped for the Brickies as they search for an Isthmian Play Off place or perhaps outright promotion! 

“I know that I’ve got a job to do to get into the team the way that Mitch (May) and Chris (Harris) are playing,” Parish told us after signing at Woodstock.

“It is exciting to be involved because everyone pushes each other and I know that when I do get my chance, I will have to take it. It does make you a better player but ultimately the team is winning! I came from a team that wasn’t winning even though I was scoring goals, and it was not enjoyable!”

“So, on Saturday I will take the three points against Burgess Hill over not scoring but coming on in a game like that when both the strikers are on the scoresheet with chances being created left, right and everywhere I want to get on the scoresheet obviously, but the thing is that is five wins in a row!” 

Parish made his first Brickies start in Tuesday’s 2-1 over Sevenoaks Town and scored what proved to be the winner with a stunning free-kick, his first goal for his new club and his eleventh overall for the season, just one behind the twelve that both May and Harris have scored. 

“The fact that the team are creating so many chances is the most positive thing because I know as a striker that I am going to out one away at some point!”

“If the team weren’t creating chances that would be worrying, but everything is positive, even though I want to start every game, but I must be realistic as I am coming into a team who have been smashing teams really.” 

“And in the first couple of games that I’ve been here, the team has not been playing as well as they have been, but we have still picked up the points and the wins. It is something that I have to come to terms within terms of taking my chance when I get it!” as he did on Tuesday evening! 

Parish played a leading role in Maldon & Tiptree’s FA Cup run of 2019 remembering, “the experience I got playing in that playing against two League Two teams, scoring the goal that beat Leyton Orient and then we lost to a goal in the last minute against Newport – it could have been different!”

“It was an exciting team to play in… And if I am being honest, I’ve said since I came to Woodstock that the changing room here is the closest that I have known since those Maldon days, the team morale, everyone is together, everyone is fighting for three points and that team flourished. And this team has got that as well.” 

“For me coming in and playing alongside an experienced striker like Chris Harris is massive. I can see straight away that although he wants to score goals as a striker, he is not someone who will keep hold of the ball just because he has not scored!”

“He brings others into play and has absolutely no problem setting up some goals as well. For example, he was taken off against Burgess Hill after scoring twice.”

“If I had that happen to me, a part of me would have been partly gutted as I would have missed a chance to get my hat-trick. But you did not get that with Chris.”

“I spoke to him afterwards in the changing room and he was all smiles and laughing which is good as it brings a really good morale into the team.” 

Pictures supplied by Ian Scammell – Oyster Bay Photography.