Sittingbourne manager Reece Prestedge discusses the Brickies’ Isthmian South East promotion prospects after three successive play-off campaigns

Sittingbourne are aiming to take the final step this season following a hat-trick of near-misses.

The Brickies have set their sights on another promotion bid after three successive Isthmian South East play-off campaigns - reaching two semi-finals and a final.

They’ve been a model of consistency without getting over the line but hope it will be different this year as manager Reece Prestedge begins his first full season in charge at AFC Croydon on Saturday (3pm).

“That’s the way it has to be,” said Prestedge, discussing the possibility of another promotion challenge.

“After three years in the play-offs, we want to compete at the top end, for the top spots, and that’s the way everyone’s got to look at it.”

Sittingbourne have finished third, second and fifth over the past three seasons and the play-offs have now been expanded to include the sides in sixth and seventh.

Under the new format, the second and third-placed sides go straight through to a home semi-final, while fourth plays seventh and fifth meets sixth in an eliminator round.

It keeps the season alive for teams in mid-table, although critics feel it’s unfair that a team finishing seventh could be promoted at the expense of, say, the runners-up despite a significant points difference.

“It’s one of those that works both ways,” said Prestedge.

“If you’re having a bit of a sticky patch and you’re 10th or 12th in January/February, you can go on a good run and still make the play-offs.

“On the other hand, if you finish fourth or fifth, you’ve now got to play another game, so it’s a mixed bag.

“If you’re going for the play-off spots anyway, you’ve just got to aim for the top three, haven’t you?”

The new season has a different feel for Prestedge, who succeeded Ryan Maxwell