Sittingbourne players are running their own competition to be the club’s top performer.

Boss Ryan Maxwell has revealed there is a fantasy football-style challenge among the squad.

Players accumulate points in areas such as appearances, clean sheets, goals and assists, and it’s proving a big hit with the Brickies in great form this season.

Maxwell has stayed out of it but is well aware of the competition within his squad.

“It’s like a fantasy football league so whoever does what in a game, it goes in a points system,” said the Brickies manager.

“It’s brilliant, and it’s fun, but there’s a competitive edge to the fun as well. Somebody breaks it down and the points get put in their group every Sunday. It’s quite funny.

“I think Liam Smith’s winning at the moment.

“As a defender, he’s scored a few goals, had a lot of clean sheets and he’s played a lot of games.”

Brickies players know they have to keep standards high, with Maxwell rotating his starting XI all season.

He’s built a competitive squad and isn’t shy of using it.

The group have bought into his approach and the good habits must continue as Sittingbourne fight for the Isthmian South East title and bid to extend their record-breaking FA Trophy run.

“You’ve got to be confident but you can’t be complacent,” said Maxwell.

“No matter who you are, if you’re complacent, you can be beaten, and that happens all the time at the very top level of football.

“Complacency isn’t allowed, it’s what’s next, what’s the next goal, what can we do to improve?

“People have got to keep focusing on getting better and doing more.

“It’s not enough to stand still because they’ll find themselves maybe not at the club.

“The clean sheets (13 this season and counting) are an example of how hard everyone’s working.

“If you aren’t working hard, you will concede goals, you will have a soft underbelly.

“You can’t be outworked by your team-mate either, never mind the opposition, so I always say that’s the number one attribute you’ve got to have at this football club - to be a humble, hard-worker.”

Sittingbourne maintained their 100% home record with goals from Donvieve Jones, Ryan Kingsford and Troy Howard in a 3-0 win over Sevenoaks on Saturday.

The Brickies host AFC Croydon this Saturday (3pm) after Tuesday night’s game at Littlehampton was postponed.

Maxwell praised the club’s ground staff for getting the Sevenoaks game on in appalling conditions, and his players delivered the goods.

“The weather conditions were my first concern,” said Maxwell.

“I have to give credit to the ground staff because they’ve done really well this season with the pitch. It’s taken a battering on Saturday but no doubt they’ll be hands on this week to repair it.

“Sevenoaks are no mugs, so to dominate like we did, I thought the boys were tremendous.

“They still had great ball control in terms of the possession we had, the attacks we accumulated and in the end, 3-0 was quite a polite scoreline, I felt.

“We missed a few chances, hit the post and I was delighted with the clean sheet.”

Captain Bagasan Graham made another substitute appearance as he continues his comeback from a lengthy hamstring injury lay-off.

He’s also turned out for Saffron Walden on dual-registration.

Maxwell said: “He is ready to start, but full credit to everybody in the backline, it’s a tough place to get a start because the defensive record speaks for itself.

“Bags will have to be patient, like everybody else, but he’s been a tremendous professional through it all.”

Henry Lukombo, Graham’s replacement at left-back, has been particularly impressive in a new role.

“He’s actually a centre-half/right-back,” said Maxwell.

“What he isn’t is a left-back but he’s been absolutely exceptional.

“He’s grown in confidence, he’s maturing, he’s still not played a load of games, it’s a big developing year for him.

“He’s the quickest defender I’ve ever come across and hardly anybody has got any jot out of him whatsoever, regardless of who we’ve played.”