We'll give it our best shot as we always do, says Sittingbourne boss Matt Wyatt

SITTINGBOURNE manager Matt Wyatt says he expects inconstancy from his young side during the club’s Ryman League Division One South campaign.

The Brickies have two pre-season games remaining – at home to Cray Wanderers tomorrow and against Lewisham Borough (at Meridian Sports Club in Charlton) on Tuesday (7:15pm) before their league campaign kicks off on Saturday 9 August.

“We’ve played some very good sides, it’s gone very well all in all,” Wyatt, 41, said of pre-season.

“It’s virtually a new squad as you know. We’ve lost some people like Ryan Golding, Joe Taylor and Tom Loynes, who got 55 goals between them so we had to replace them and I think we’ve done that.”

Sittingbourne kick-off the new campaign with a trip to Corinthian-Casuals before hosting relegated Carshalton Athletic to Woodstock Park three days later.

Wyatt says he and his scout have both watched the two Surrey sides.

When asked whether he knows his starting eleven for their trip to Tolworth, Wyatt replied: “I would say personally I probably know seven and there’s a few question marks on people if they’re going to be fit enough to how they come back of holidays etc, etc.

“To be honest with you, I probably know about seven stroke eight of the starting line-up now.

“I’ve watched them, our scout’s watched them once and I went to watch them once as well.

“They’re still virtually got the same squad that they had last year. They’ve lost a couple but brought a couple in.

“Corinthian-Casuals are always going to be a difficult side. It’s a hard place to go and play. A lovely pitch though. 

“They always give you a good game of football because they try to get it down – like we do – and play.

“They’re very competitive and it will be a very tough game but we’re confident.”

Looking ahead to Carshalton Athletic’s visit on 12 August, Wyatt added: “Again we’ve watched Carshalton play. They’re a very good side. They’ve come down from the Ryman Prem.  They’ve got a lot of pace about them, move the ball quickly so again we’re expecting a tough game.

“But we’ve watched them a couple of times now so we know what we’re expecting.

“We can’t wait to get it going,” added Wyatt.

“It’s been a hard time pre-season. We’ve hardly had any time off. I’m having a week’s break in the season because I need some break as well.

“It’s been non-stop. We’ve not had a real break in pre-season because all of what’s gone on and trying to get players in.

“Players’ who we thought may stay, they’ve moved on to other clubs. We have had to really rebuild the team and the squad but I feel that I’ve done that really and we’re not too far away from where we want to be.”

But with one of the smallest budgets in the division, Wyatt warns supporters that it’s not always going to be perfect.

“I think what they can expect is a lot of energy, well-organised, hard to beat and enthusiastic side,” said Wyatt.

“I think what supporters have got to realise is that we have made a couple of signings to bring in a bit of experience in but our squad is mainly youngsters.  Some of them have never played at this standard so that we may be Jekyll and Hyde and have a great result one day and then the next day it might not be so good.

“I’m confident for the season because the players we’ve brought in are playing without fear, which is good.

“We’ll give it our best shot, as we always do, but we’ll hopefully be pleasant on the eye; play good football; work hard for each other; be competitive; hard to break down and hard to beat and hopefully win the majority of their games.”

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

Corinthian-Casuals  v  Sittingbourne
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 9^th August 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
at King Georges Field, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surrey KT6 7NA