Big defender Lex Allan is back with Sittingbourne after making the move from Sheppey United.

Allan left the Ites after the Southern Counties East Premier Division title chasers couldn’t guarantee him game time but Brickies boss Darren Blackburn was only to happy to have him back.

He helped Blackburn’s men to a 2-1 victory over Hythe Town last Saturday to keep themselves in among the teams chasing the play-off places.

“He was outstanding,” said Blackburn, commenting on Allan’s return to the club. “He won everything in the box, including a couple off the line in the space of two seconds.

“He was everywhere on Saturday, he was good with his one to one defending and was exactly what he knew to be.

“The fans love him, he knows the club and loves the club, he didn’t really want to leave in the first place, he was upset to go and I just felt he was a bit torn.

“He is local to Sheppey and we didn’t quite have the budget back then. I think he has accepted less to come back. He is just a good humble lad who wants to play football and there are not enough of them around sometimes.”

Blackburn had gone into the weekend making do without a couple of key players who have decided to move on.

Forward Ahmed Abdulla and the versatile Marvin Hamilton, who are friends off the pitch and travelled in together, have both decided to play elsewhere.

Blackburn said: “They have moved on and we thank them for all their efforts and commitment for the first part of the season and wish them well in the future.”

Sittingbourne went 2-0 up against Hythe with goals from Harry Stannard and Taylor Fisher just before the break and maintained that lead until Alex Brown scored from a free-kick on 90 minutes for the lowly visitors.

On Tuesday the Brickies were beaten 1-0 at home to in-form Burgess Hill Town, who leapfrogged them into eight places after the win. Blackburn's men head into the weekend six points off the playoff places.