We've got something to show for our efforts, says proud Abbott

Wednesday 05th May 2010

GARY ABBOTT says he is proud to be the first Sittingbourne manager to celebrate winning the Kent Senior Cup in 52 barren years, writes Stephen McCartney.

Folkestone Invicta – fresh from their Ryman League Division One South play-off glory at the weekend – took the lead through Jimmy Jackson on the stroke of half-time, before the Brickies fought back and won the Cup courtesy of Colin Richmond, Hicham Akhazzan and Tom Bradbrook.

“Obviously I’m buzzing now after last night,” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk following his side’s win at Cheriton Road.

“We deserved to win it, especially in the second half and I thought we were easily the better side.

“They haven’t won anything for over 50 years, so it’s nice to get something for the club and obviously it’s nice for the players.”

Abbott’s attack minded tactics after the interval paid dividends, after Jackson’s goal changed his half-time team talk.

He said: “To be fair, I think it’s done us a favour really, because we wanted to go in at 0-0 but with Folkestone scoring right on half-time it done us a favour because we went for it.

“We said to the boys ‘believe in yourselves and we’re going to go three up front and we’re going to go for it' and that’s exactly what we done and there was only one side going to win it to be honest with you.”

Only Aveley (who won a Ryman League Cup tie 4-0 at Cheriton Road last November) have scored more goals against Neil Cugley’s side this season.

“I did look at that last night and no-one has in the whole league, the whole season, has scored three goals against Folkestone, so that’s another little thing that we’ve got,” said a proud Abbott.

“We’ve beaten them three times this season now and it just shows you that on our day we can beat anyone and it’s nice to stop them getting the double and getting the Cup ourselves.”

Sittingbourne trained on three occasions before the game – and now all attentions turn to more success next season.

“If you’re winning things when you try to sign players perhaps it’s a lot easier getting them,” added Abbott.

“We’ve got our presentation night on Saturday night and it makes it a lot better. If we got beaten they’d be a few heads down but now we’ve got something to show for this season everyone’s looking forward to it.

“I’ve told all the players that are with me at the moment I want to keep the lot of them because I think they’re good players and I think we can do well.

“The fixture pile-up didn’t help us but we’ve ended up winning the Cup so I’ve got to be happy with our season and finishing ninth so it’s all good.”

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