Despite his goal glut this season, an emotional Ricky Miller believes he has failed in his main objective of firing Dover into the National League play-offs.

Miller notched his 37th league goal of a stellar season in Tuesday night's game against Macclesfield - probably his last Crabble appearance - but the 2-2 draw all-but ended Whites' hopes of a return to the top-five with them needing to win at Barrow on Saturday, hoping struggling Braintree win at red-hot Aldershot AND produce a six-goal swing.

Speaking after the game, a visibly emotional Miller admitted: "I'm just gutted really. it's been a long season. I don't think we can get there - it's a bit gutting at the moment.

"We need to do a lot. We'll go (to Barrow) with the mentality that it can be done but it's a tall order. Braintree have to win... maybe it's possible, but it's harder than it would have been if we'd got three points (on Tuesday)."

The 28-year-old reflected on the 1-0 defeat at Aldershot on Easter Monday, saying: "Three games ago it was in our hands. We had a really disappointing performance at Aldershot, really frustrating, and it sort of knocked the stuffing out of us.

"We can't really blame the last three games though. We were dead certs 10 games ago. It's our own fault but then again if you reflect on the last couple of years then we have done well, we have punched above our weight.

"It's just disappointing because we know we could have done better in the last 10 games."

"I think we had the best run-in. I think the last 16 games we had two or three teams that were above us.

"It's a bit of a gutter because I feel we're going to look back at that as an opportunity missed."

Miller's contract was allowed to run down by chairman Jim Parmenter in the hope that his goals might help Dover into the Football League, but though Miller is widely expected to sign for League 1 Peterborough on a free transfer after the season, he is not thinking about the future.

He said: "I've had a good couple of years here. Obviously everyone wants to better themselves.

"Never say never (about playing at Crabble again) but I don't really know what's going on at the moment.

"We have a game on Saturday and we have got to win it by a couple of goals so we have just got to focus on that."

Tuesday's disappointment came hours after Miller was named National League Player of the Year and he admitted: "It's mixed emotions. It would have been nice to have cemented the play-offs today and then I could go home and enjoy a good season.

"It's tough. I feel like I can't really enjoy it because we have missed out as a team on the play-offs.

"I'm sure in a few weeks time when the dust has settled I'll look back and can enjoy it and look back on it.

"It's a bit hard. Obviously I've had a good season and I've hit my targets but the main objective was to get in the play-offs and it looks like we haven't quite made it."