Sittingbourne manager Reece Prestedge urges his players to enjoy occasion ahead of Isthmian South East play-off semi-final tie at AFC Croydon Athletic

Manager Reece Prestedge is urging Sittingbourne’s players to enjoy the occasion ahead of their Isthmian South East play-off semi-final tie.

The Brickies sit two wins away from Isthmian Premier football and will take on AFC Croydon Athletic tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Danny Kedwell’s hosts finished the regular season six points and three positions ahead of Sittingbourne, although the Brickies have lost only one of their past five matches.

They will hope it proves third time lucky for them. They suffered play-off final heartache at home to Burgess Hill last term and a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Three Bridges in April 2024.

On what his message would be to his squad ahead of the play-offs, Prestedge said: “Just go out there and enjoy it.

“You play your best football when you enjoy it. I know there is a little bit of pressure on it, but we’re away from home, so that should take the pressure away from it.

“We will go into Tuesday’s game full of confidence and full of belief.”

The teams have already met three times this term - twice at Woodstock. The Brickies were knocked out of the FA Cup 2-1 by them in late August but secured a 4-3 success in the league in early November.

In their sole meeting so far at the Mayfield Stadium this season, Jean-Baptiste Fischer’s Sittingbourne goal proved in vain in a 3-1 loss in February.

But Prestedge isn’t reading too much into those results.

“We are just going to go there to try to win the game,” he added. “It’s as simple as that.”

The Brickies boss also hinted teenage Bromley loanee keeper Rex Porter will keep his starting spot despite Jamie Grossart now being fully fit after he sustained a concussion.

Prestedge said: “Rex has come in and he has done really well.

“Jamie is, obviously, now