Boxing Day preview - Sidley United

But the last team you would want to face when on a run of one point from five Sussex County Football League Division One games is table-topping Rye United.

Sidley manager John Lambert said: “At this moment in time they’ve only got to turn up to beat us, but you never know in football and hopefully we’ll rise to the occasion.

“It’s a derby game and they (the Sidley players) won’t want to get embarrassed. It’s a big game Monday if it’s on and it’s not going to be a game for the faint-hearted.”

Having moved into the top five following the battling 3-1 win at home to AFC Uckfield on Wednesday November 23, Sidley have since dropped to eighth and are only two points ahead of the team in 12th.

Rye, by contrast, have won their last six matches in all competitions and haven’t lost in the league since Saturday October 8. The Quarterboys have scored a massive 96 goals in 31 games so far this season.

Lambert went on: “We need a win somewhere to just get us going again. Even a draw would be a good result for us at the moment.

“It could be worse. We could be at the bottom and playing like that, but we’re not. There’s no panic yet, but we want to try and put it right. It’s a confidence thing with us at the moment.”

Lewis Hole and Marc Munday, pictured, serve one-match suspensions, while Scott McDonald and Chris Rea are struggling with injury. Kick-off at Gullivers is 11am.