Sittingbourne manager Reece Prestedge urges side to retain winning mentality after the blow of successive postponements

Manager Reece Prestedge says Sittingbourne mustn’t allow a lack of action to affect their winning mentality.

The in-form Brickies suffered a second successive postponement - and their third since Christmas - when Saturday’s home game against Crowborough was called off.

A section of the Woodstock pitch was deemed unplayable by referee Harrison Clark following heavy rain.

The Brickies, who remain fifth in Isthmian South East, have three games in hand on the trio of sides immediately below.

They’re two points ahead of Jersey and hold six and seven-point leads over Margate and Merstham respectively.

Sittingbourne are due at struggling Erith Town this Saturday (3pm).

“It’s a positive that we’re still in the play-offs, with games in hand,” said boss Prestedge.

“But games in hand only mean something when you win them.

“We just need to make sure that we don’t go into the next game as if we haven’t played for weeks.

“We have to go into it as if we’re still on that same run and the winning mentality still has to be there.”

Prestedge was frustrated with the latest postponement, although he understood the decision.

Having started his reign with a run of midweek games, the Brickies will have more Tuesday night matches to negotiate as postponed fixtures are rearranged.

“It’s just annoying more than anything,” said Prestedge, who was looking to arrange a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday night to blow away the cobwebs.

“We’ve only played two games this side of Christmas.

“We’re into February and we’ve got to play three catch-up games - three Tuesday nights - which isn’t good.

“Everything’s bit of a hindrance.

“Ninety per cent of the pitch on Saturday was good.

“It was just one area, which I can understand the referee’s point of