Daryl McMahon was quick to congratulate Maidenhead after they pipped his Ebbsfleet side to the National League South title on the final day of the season.

Fleet's 1-0 win over Oxford City was ultimately in vain as the Magpies beat Margate 3-0 to clinch the title at Hartsdown Park.

Despite amassing 96 points this season, Fleet finished runners-up for the second year running.

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Ebbsfleet would have nicked the title if Maidenhead had dropped points against Gate but McMahon admitted: "It was always going to be an outside bet.

"Going to Margate, we were hoping they were going to do us a favour but the points difference might be 70 points that Maidenhead are ahead of Margate so it was always going to be an outside chance.

"We congratulate them, they’ve had a fantastic season, Maidenhead and to get 98 points is a great achievement and I wish Dev (Maidenhead boss Alan Devonshire) all the best."

Anthony Cook fired Ebbsfleet into a fifth-minute lead at Stonebridge Road and that had the 2,116 crowd believing the title was still on.

But Maidenhead were soon ahead in their game and as news of their second and third goals filtered through during the second half, the Fleet players and supporters fell flat.

McMahon said: "You could tell from the atmosphere around the ground, you could tell the score in the other game and that affects the tempo of the game.

"The players know what’s happening elsewhere and it probably knocks the wind out of your sails a little bit.

"We started brilliant, like we asked them to do. We asked for an early goal to put some pressure on because we thought that would get down to Margate but to be fair to Maidenhead, they’ve been great all season and they’ve won the title."

Ebbsfleet are unbeaten in 20 league matches since the turn of the year and Saturday's win was their 12th in a row at Stonebridge Road.

"The players have been outstanding," McMahon said. "Since I’ve been here, that’s 180 points in 84 games, which to not win the title over two seasons, when you think about it, is quite incredible.

"But it happens. Me as a person, and those lads in the changing-room, we’re fighters and we bounce back. You work hard to be successful and we’re still in the situation where we can be successful."

Ebbsfleet are away to Hampton & Richmond in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Wednesday with the second leg at Stonebridge Road on Sunday.