Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell shares his thoughts on challenging favourites Ramsgate for the Isthmian South East title

Ryan Maxwell won’t spend time worrying about Sittingbourne’s Isthmian South East promotion rivals.

The Brickies moved back up to fourth place after beating fellow contenders Ashford 1-0 at Woodstock on Saturday.

Ramsgate started the season as title favourites and nothing has changed, with the Thanet club embracing expectations and going top after a 1-0 win at Sheppey last night.

But Maxwell’s men are unbeaten in the league since the opening day and the Northern Irishman knows money isn’t everything.

He said: “At Braintree our budget was under three grand a week and Ebbsfleet’s was 20-odd grand but we still beat them 1-0.

“You can still beat these teams - it’s what they do when they don’t play you that you have no control over.

“You have to beat them in the head-to-head and, of course, we’re going to try and take them off their perch.

“Everybody knows the budget Ramsgate have and the players they can sign.

“Good luck to them - I haven’t got a problem with that at all.

“It makes them by far and away the favourites to win the league but they’re not the only good team.

“Cray Valley will be right up there and we have to make sure we are but I don’t worry too much about other teams.

“If you focus too much on others you’re not putting enough energy into your own job.

“If I’m happy with us, I know we’ll give anybody a game.”

Maxwell was certainly happy with his side’s performance against Ashford.

They’d gone three weeks without a league game but you’d never have known.

The hosts were good value for the win, earning the points with Jardel Adeyinka’s 74th-minute goal.

“It was the complete performance,” said Maxwell, whose side host pace-setters Three Bridges this Saturday (3pm).

“We were dominant, without being elaborate with the