Daryl McMahon hailed Ebbsfleet's character after they snatched promotion from the jaws of despair.

Playing with 10 men and 1-0 down with 20 minutes left in the play-off final against Chelmsford, Fleet were staring down the barrel of a third play-off final defeat in four years and another season in National League South.

But after Dave Winfield headed them level, Darren McQueen touched in the winner to send McMahon's side into the National League.

"It was an amazing end to the game," McMahon said. "The second-half performance was full of quality, commitment, passion and desire, just what you want to see from your team. I thought, in the end, we deserved to win.

"It’s hard to recreate stuff like that. I’ll probably have to look back at the video and see exactly what happened.

"You lose yourself for a couple of seconds when you get a goal, especially when you’re down to 10 men and your backs are against the wall, against a good side in Chelmsford, who are very powerful.

"I thought we showed terrific character and I’m over the moon to win the game."

Ebbsfleet's ultimate aim is the EFL but McMahon wasn't getting carried away after the game.

He said: "I’m in a period where I want to enjoy what’s happened today and reflect on it a little bit. I feel a little bit all over the place, emotionally, but we’re delighted. We’ve worked hard for it all year - and last year as well.

"Last season ended very cruelly, the way it went but everyone involved at the football club has showed great character to come back and go through what we’ve done now.

"Especially getting 96 points, when we’d have probably walked the league in most years, to regroup again and come through and win with 10 men, it’s an incredible story."