Abbott rues Bradbrook's long-term injury

Thursday 16th July 2009

SITTINGBOURNE manager Gary Abbott says he will keep faith with his current strike force after news came through that Tom Bradbrook is expected to be ruled out for the whole of this season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The former Dartford striker, who scored 14 goals during his first season at Sittingbourne, albeit an injury ravaged campaign, has to wait until next month for an operation.

Complaining about the lack of firepower in a midweek pre-season friendly at Faversham Town, Abbott, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk said: “We miss Tom, we miss Tom a lot. He’s going to be out all season. He’s snapped his cruciate in two places, which is quite bad and he’s not having the operation until a month’s time as well.”

Abbott has challenged Bradley Spice, Hicham Akhazzan and Jon Neal (who is currently nursing a groin injury), to prove that they’re good enough to fill Bradbrook’s boots and partner Richard Brady, Abbott’s assistant, who scored 19 goals last season.

“Looking at the strikers, I’ve got Bradley coming back, I’ve got Richard Brady coming back and Hicham’s up there and does alright, he works his socks off up there.

“I’ve got to look at Spice and Brady and obviously Hicham. Jon Neal, I didn’t mention John Neal because he done his groin the other day so he probably won’t be involved on Saturday against Dover before we have to get him fit for the first game.

“There’s four strikers there so it’s up to Jon Neal and obviously Bradley Spice really (to see) who is going to play up front.”

Sittingbourne have played two warm-up games against Kent League neighbours Norton Sports (a game that was settled by a Akhazzan penalty), before they lost to Faversham Town by a single goal in midweek.

And Abbott has mixed feelings over some of the trialists that have taken part so far.

“I’ve got a few trialists’ in at the moment,” he said. “I’ve let about four or five go already, they’re not better than what I’ve got, so I’m wasting my time with them. I’m not going to keep saying to them to come back.

“I had a couple of promising ones on Tuesday night. Ryan Palmer, played right-back, he’s only 18 and I’ve got Semie, whose a little bit older, and they done right.”

Speaking about Palmer, Abbott said: “I think he’s from Dartford but he’s been training with Dover. He’s only eighteen-years-old, he’s only a youngster, that’s all I can bring in to be honest with you.

“Semie, I didn’t get his surname, he just turned up for the first time on Tuesday. He’s a bit of an athlete, he was quite fit and that and needs a bit of work done to him.

“Ryan done well the other night. When you get 18-year-old’s they’re probably going to give the ball away a little bit, but you just have to put up with it. We’ll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.”

Abbott admitted that he was relieved to come away from home-town rivals Norton Sports unscathed last weekend.

“Norton Sports, our neighbours, were up for it and we came away 1-0 winners,” said Abbott. “It wasn’t the best game in the world but it was a game, part of pre-season fitness.

“Tuesday (at Faversham) was a lot better. I wanted them to get the ball down. I wasn’t about the result to be honest with you. Obviously you wanted to win it.

“They’ve got a bit of money down at Faversham, they’ve signed a few experienced players. I thought we coped with them and we played them off the park and they couldn’t handle our football once we got the ball going. We just lacked our final third bit.”

Sittingbourne kick-off their Ryman League Division One South campaign on Saturday, 15th August, with a home game against Whyteleafe before travelling to Mark Tompkins’ Chipstead three days later.

Abbott then takes his side to Worthing on Saturday, 22nd August, before the eagerly awaited Bourne Park showdown against Steve Lovell’s Ashford Town follows three days later.

Sittingbourne will be playing their home games on Tuesday night's this season.

“We played Whyteleafe last game of the season didn’t we, so I think the first two games are winnable,” predicted Abbott.

“We can get six points out of those, I’m quite confident about that.

“Then obviously, the next two games, we go to Worthing, which is tough, but we went there last year and beat them so why can’t we do that again, and then we’ve got Ashford at home, which I’m looking forward to.”

Speaking about his aspirations for the forthcoming season, Abbott is aiming high again.

“I want to progress more than I did last year really and that means getting into the play-off’s,” he said.

“We’ve lost a couple of players, Tom is going to be a big miss to us so we have to replace him. We’ll just take it as it comes, all we can do is see how we go and see where it takes us. Obviously I want to get into the play-off’s.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game courtesy of Mike Green

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

Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com

Sittingbourne v Dover Athletic

Pre-Season Friendly

Saturday 18th July 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Bourne Park, Central Park Complex, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB