We're back in the play-off race, says Abbott

SITTINGBOURNE boss Gary Abbott says his side are back in the play-off picture, following Metropolitan Police’s midweek defeat to in-form Corinthian-Casuals, writes Stephen McCartney.

Sixth-placed Sittingbourne travel to the side immediately above them, Metropolitan Police, on Saturday, and Abbott knows his side must win at Imber Court to keep their promotion dream alive.

The Police go into the game having lost 1-0 at Corinthian-Casuals, who travel to second-placed Cray Wanderers on Saturday, having collected 13 points from their last five games. Sittingbourne, meanwhile, also lost 1-0, to Merstham at Bourne Park just 24 hours earlier.

“I think we’re back in it now, because on Tuesday night they got beat by Corinthian-Casuals” beamed Abbott, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today.

“If we win Saturday we’re only a point behind them so it’s all to play for. We’ve got to go there and try and get three points.

“We’ve only lost once all season away so they will be worried about us going there anyway, so we’ll just go there positively and try and get three points.”

Abbott wasn’t surprised that the Police were defeated by the Tolworth based side in midweek.

He said: “You know what, I wasn’t surprised one bit. I suppose I was a little bit, but Corinthian-Casuals have beaten Kingstonian, have drawn with Worthing and got a couple of good wins behind them.

“They’re fighting for their lives as well, they’ve got some good players there, some quick strikers and if you give them good service they will score goals.

“They’ve got to play Cray Wanderers as well on Saturday so they could do them as well. It was a bit of a surprise but a good result for us and it puts us back in it again.”

Abbott, speaking before tonight’s training session, hinted striker Richard Brady, the club’s leading goalscorer and his player-assistant, could start Saturday’s Imber Court showdown on the bench, although Tom Bradbrook remains on the sidelines.

Mark De Bolla (hamstring), Ryan Andrews (hamstring) and Joe Dowley (head) face fitness tests to see if they’re fit to play.

Abbott explained the reason behind bringing striker Jon Neal back to the club, having been a bit-part player for both Kingstonian and Whitstable Town this season.

“He was with Sittingbourne a few years back and then he went to a couple of clubs,” he said. “He wasn’t really playing for Kingstonian, who were top of the league and went to Whitstable to play and he hasn’t been playing there either.

“It was a chance to get another face before the (transfer) deadline. He’s coming over for the rest of the season and we’ll see if he’ll get involved or not - he will probably start on the bench.”

Sittingbourne beat Tuesday’s transfer deadline by just 30 minutes to bring Neal back to Bourne Park.

“We signed him at about half four,” revealed Abbott. “He’s got experience, he keeps the ball for you and scores goals for you as well. Hopefully it will work out alright.”

Abbott agrees that Saturday’s trip to Imber Court must result in yet another win on the road, but when asked which side will clinch the title, the boss replied, “I think it’s out of Cray and Kingstonian who are going to win it - I’d probably say Kingstonian.

“Everyone’s fighting for those other four places. We’ve got to win Saturday, even if we draw we’ve got four games to go and hopefully we’ll get a few points and hopefully scrape into it.

“Saturday is a big game so we have to get three points there and go from there.”

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

Metropolitan Police v Sittingbourne
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 4^th April 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Metropolitan Police (Imber Court) Sports Club, Ember Lane, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BT