Sam Magri wants his Dover team-mates to channel their play-off disappointment into winning the Vanarama National League next season.

The Maltese under-21 international full-back says he never again wants to feel like he did in the wake of their 2-1 aggregate defeat in the play-off semi-final at Forest Green Rovers.

The former Portsmouth and QPR prospect played a big part in Dover achieving their highest ever finish – earning a nomination alongside Sean Raggett for the National League’s Young Player of the Year.

He said: “It was a horrible feeling. I felt like crying. I never want to feel like that again.

“The talk in the dressing room was to get back in the play-offs next season but this time win them, or even better than that, win the league.

“The gaffer said we didn’t have a lot of experience but we will gain so much from this. Getting to Wembley is a big prize but people were expecting us to go down. It’s been a good season.”

With the second leg poised at 1-1, Magri hit the underside of the bar with a volley midway through the second half at the New Lawn and he admitted: “I have not scored all season and thought that was in. I was already off celebrating.

“I watched it back after and couldn’t have struck it any sweeter. At the time I couldn’t see if it had gone over the line but seeing it back, it was a good three yards out.

“It was my first full season of men’s football and it was a tough start, getting up to the fitness level required.

“I grew into it and was playing at a decent level towards the end of the season. I hope and I’d like to think I can get better though. I’m still young.”