Abbott looks forward to his visit to the Police

SITTINGBOURNE boss Gary Abbott has challenged his side to replicate their excellent away form on home soil as they bid to finish their season in the play-off zone, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Brickies collected their 12^th league win on their travels last night, with a comfortable 2-0 win at Dulwich Hamlet.

Midfielder’s Rio Alderton - his first goal of the season - and a Mark De Bolla penalty - ensured Abbott’s men went into the interval with the points in the bag.

Abbott was pleased that his side bounced back from back-to-back draws and tells his side to pick up home wins against second-from-bottom side Burgess Hill Town on Saturday, followed by Monday night’s game against ninth placed Merstham.

Still in sixth place in the Ryman League Division One South table, last night’s success in south London means they are now only two points adrift of Metropolitan Police in fifth spot with 21 points up for grabs.

“We were trying to go and win it like four or five other clubs, but we have had a couple of slip ups and it’s not to be,” Abbott admitted, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night.

“I think, for us, we’ll look at the fifth spot. It’s taken a little bit of pressure of the boys by saying that.

“We have to go to Met Police and that’s going to be the biggest game of our season.”

But Abbott wants to focus on their next job, beating Burgess Hill Town at Bourne Park on Saturday, and confidence is high in the camp following last night’s dominant display.

“We’ve got a big weekend,” said Abbott. “There’s no reason, and I’ve said to the boys, we can’t win all our games, if we play like that.

“It is in our hands, we’ve got that game in hand, alright, we’ve missed out on the last two games, but we’re still in there, now we’ve got three points here (at Dulwich Hamlet), we’re right in there and we’ve got to get Burgess Hill and Merstham out of the way and then we go to Met Police.

“If we win that, we’ve still got a game in hand. It’s still there for us, if we want it, and we’re good enough to do it.”

Visit Sittingbourne’s website:  www.sittingbournefc.co.uk

Sittingbourne v Burgess Hill Town
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 28^th March 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bourne Park, Central Park, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB