Garry Hill insists Ebbsfleet have over-achieved despite not making the play-offs.

Fleet had 23 points from 19 games when Hill replaced Daryl McMahon in November and they've since taken 44 from 26.

Defeat to Dover on Easter Monday means they can't finish in the top seven but Hill is proud of what they've achieved.

Scroll down to hear from Ebbsfleet manager Garry Hill.

He said: "When I came in, in November, we were four points off relegation.

"The football squad had a lot of quality players, and still has, so all that's been reduced is the number of squad players and management staff.

"There were far too many so what we've had to do is trim things and try to manage it.

"We've worked, on and off the pitch, collectively and sensibly, to get to where we've got to.

"From under-achieving in November to be over-achieving in April, to go into the last week of the season being three points off the play-offs is all credit to the playing squad and everybody at the football club.

"You have to manage things and try to deal with them but I would never question anything, since I've been at this football club, with everybody around the football club, on and off the pitch."

Alfie Pavey's 51st-minute strike settled Monday's derby, in which Dover created the bulk of the chances.

• Match report: Ebbsfleet 0-1 Dover
• Proud Hessenthaler praises his players

Hill said: "We knew it was going to be a tough game, a local derby and Dover have been going very well - and it proved that way.

"We started better in the first 20 minutes, got a lot of good balls around Danny Kedwell and we were on top but we never really took advantage of the possession we had at that time.

"All credit to Dover, they we defending very strong and their form over the last 20 games - let alone the last seven or eight - has been superb, very similar to ourselves over a period of time, since Andy Hessenthaler's gone in there.

"He's got them more organised and we always knew the first goal would be the goal.

"We were prepared to risk things a little bit more than we normally would because we had to go for a win to have a chance in the final game.

"But they got the goal and we knew, from then on, it was a going to be a battle.

"We tried to change one or two things but I have no complaints over the 90 minutes. Some you win, some you lose and it was their day."