Ebbsfleet will stand by manager Daryl McMahon – whatever happens in the play-offs.

Defeat at Sutton last weekend effectively ended Fleet’s title hopes in National League South after they’d spent seven months on top of the table.

But owner Dr Abdulla Al-Humaidi, who was in the directors’ box at Gander Green Lane, believes McMahon is the right man to take the club forward.

He said: "He’s done a tremendous job. The style of football is attractive and he can only get better.

"It’s the highest we’ve been since we took over three years ago. The first season we ended in fourth, last season it was eighth and we’re runners-up this season.

"He’s done a good job and can only improve. I’m sure he learns a lot, as we do and we will be sticking with Daryl no matter what the outcome is.

"I have confidence in the lads and hopefully they’ll pull through. But no matter what, we fully back the team and fully back Daryl.

"He’s done a tremendous job for his first season as manager. He’s a smart person.

"They have my backing, the board’s backing and I hope we’ll win the play-offs. But it’s football and sometimes you lose, so it’s accepting the result either way."

Dr Al-Humaidi was gracious in defeat after goals from Dan Fitchett and Bedsente Gomis carried Sutton to the verge of the championship.

He said: "All credit goes to Sutton. If it were another season, we’d be finishing top with the number of points we have now.

"I do call credit when I see it and Sutton have done well. They deserve to be on top.

"You have to accept results. We know where we’ve done wrong and Daryl knows where we’ve done wrong.

"If it were August now and you’d say we’d finish runners-up, I’d happily take that. Sometimes, with the good start to the season, we all get false expectations.

"It’s football, you’re winning one day and the next you’re losing. I’m pretty happy with this year’s campaign.

"If it weren’t for Sutton’s incredible run – 24 matches unbeaten – I think we’d finish the season as champions."

Read the full story in the Gravesend Messenger.