1 day Ago By [email protected] (Craig Tucker)
Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell would rather not know how title rivals Ramsgate are getting on. It can be difficult to avoid hearing news from other games these days as supporters check scores on their phones. But Maxwell wants to concentrate on his own team as they bid to overhaul a seven-point deficit in the final five matches of the Isthmian South East campaign.
Right-back Donvieve Jones scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Lancing on Saturday to keep Sittingbourne in contention, while Ramsgate won 3-1 at Beckenham. “Winning at Lancing was paramount,” said Maxwell, whose side host Erith Town at Woodstock this Saturday (3pm). “We can only affect ourselves.
“We’ve been in this position for a little while, so it’s about focusing on us. “If Ramsgate were to slip up, we have to come off the pitch with three points ourselves, so there’s no point paying too much attention to what Ramsgate do because that’s how you’ll come a cropper in your own game. “I’ve said to the players you just have to keep winning and winning and winning.
That’s all that matters. “If we go unbeaten for the rest of the season, and beyond, should we be in the play-offs, we’ll be promoted. “It’s as simple as that, so we have to make sure we keep that mindset of one game at a time.
“If Ramsgate slip up, they slip up, but we can’t affect that, we can only affect ourselves. “We’ve been aware before of how they’re getting on in games but on a personal note I prefer not to know. “I say that because you could manage the game slightly differently and if it changes again, you’ve already adapted your own game to suit what’s going on elsewhere.
“The players may well be slightly affected more than I would be as the manager. “But I’ve got a good strong group, mentally, and, with me, I’m pretty much focused on the result and three points. “It’s about focusing on us and not worrying too much about Ramsgate.
” Defender Lex Allan helped Sittingbourne to a clean sheet at Lancing in his first game since rejoining from Hythe. The 6ft7in centre-half has swapped a relegation battle for a promotion fight, turning down Ramsgate in favour of a third spell with the Brickies. “He’s caught my eye previously,” said Maxwell.
“We took Liam Smith and Jack Steventon from Hythe and we were contemplating if we need to take another. “When we played against them recently (2-1 win a fortnight ago), it cemented that he’s someone I wanted to work with. “Bringing players in at this stage of the season, it needs to be right and they need to add something to the group.
“He’s 6ft7in but there’s also a good footballer in there. “I think there’s a lot of potential in Lex, he openly told me he turned down Ramsgate to come here, and he believes he can improve in the last six weeks of the season. “He wants to be driven, he wants to be pushed and that’s the reason we got him.
“He comes for the right reasons, that’s for sure, and he’s hit the ground running with a strong debut. “He’s definitely a player that can play higher. “Having had a training session and a match with him, there’s improvements we can make because he’s a very good character, he’s coachable and he wants it, so there will be a better version of Lex in the future.
“He’s been given some numbers to achieve in the six games and if he hits those, I’ll be very pleased.” Maxwell is in no doubt that Allan, who captained Hythe, will have no problem handling life at the other end of the table. He has previous experience of a promotion fight, having been a key man in the Cannons side who reached the play-off final under Steve Watt two years ago.
“It’s something we spoke about and I prepped him for before he signed,” said Maxwell. “In the changing room on Saturday, I asked him in front of the players ‘why are you here?’ and he said ‘to get promoted’. “So he knew what he was getting into, he’s been well-versed in terms of what he’s getting from me as a manager and my management team and the demands we’ll put on him.
“He spoke to Liam, Stevo and Troy (Howard, also ex-Hythe) about what it’s like here and what’s expected and he was very up for it. He’s fitted in seamlessly. “He’s been open, honest, he’s a good lad and I think that’s why there’s room for improvement because the character’s right and he’s got a good personality.
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