Kentish Football 
My hard working players have the belief to get into the play-off's, says Gary Abbott
Tuesday 21st December 2010
SITTINGBOURNE boss Gary Abbott says hard work will guide his side into the Ryman League Division One South play-off’s at the end of the season, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Big Freeze has forced the Sittingbourne team into a Wilmington based gym and tonight will be their last work-out before their crunch game against Faversham Town at Bourne Park next Monday.
“We’ve been lucky enough, we’re still training,” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk, just about he was going to put his squad through a two-and-a-half hour gym session.
“The boys are going to do a good session for two-and-a-half hours tonight so they will have a good blow. We’re doing alright, we’re lucky enough we’ve got Richard Brady’s gym, where he works at the college, so we’ve been keeping them busy, twice a week.
“We’re trying our best to keep them fit and ready for Monday.”
Sittingbourne begin their festive fixtures sitting in sixth place in the Ryman League Division One South table with 31 points from 19 games - just one point out of the play-off zone.
Faversham are, as expected, doing well in their first ever campaign in this league, and aren’t too far behind, ninth place in the table with 27 points from the same number of games.
“Obviously Faversham are one of the teams that have obviously got a bit of money down there and try to nick everyone’s players,” said Abbott.
“They obviously took Bourney (Matt Bourne) and they even tried to get Tom (Bradbrook) as well. We all know they’ve got a bit of money down there but money doesn’t mean a thing. It’s all about getting the right players and them gelling together.
“They’re on a good run and so are we. We’ve been in the top six all season so we’ll be trying our best on Monday to take three points to stay in there.”
Then, for some reason, the Ryman League send Sittingbourne to Surrey to tackle eighth-placed Merstham on New Years Day.
“Obviously we’re looking at the next four games and out of the next four we’re trying to get nine points out of it and if we get 12 that would be absolutely brilliant,” added Abbott.
“Faversham and Merstham away are going to be tough, they’re all tough and then we’ve got Chipstead at home and Walton Casuals away. We know they’re all tough but they’re winnable for us if we put our mind to it there’s no reason why we can’t win all four.”
When asked what it will take to cross over the hatched play-off line, Abbott replied, “I don’t know! Hard work? I think we are working harder as a team this year and hopefully we can continue what we’re doing.
“All we can do is our best, the players can do their best and the players have got a belief in them this year, which I don’t think they had and I think hopefully we can go that one step further and get that fifth spot, but so are a lot of other clubs.
“We’re going to give it our best shot and see where it brings us.”
Visit Sittingbourne’s website: www.sittingbournefc.co.uk
Sittingbourne v Faversham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Bank Holiday Monday 27 December 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bourne Park, Central Park Stadium, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd