Ebbsfleet are 90 minutes away from their third play-off final in four seasons.

Daryl McMahon's side take on Hampton & Richmond at Stonebridge Road on Sunday leading 2-1 after the first leg in south-west London.

Fleet are favourites to reach next Saturday's National League South promotion final but recent history serves as a reminder of why they can't be complacent going into the semi-final decider.

McMahon's side found themselves in exactly this position 12 months ago, having finished runners-up before winning 2-1 away to the fifth-placed side - Whitehawk.

But no-one predicted the drama which the second leg served up, with Whitehawk winning 2-1 on the day to level the aggregate score at 3-3.

Extra-time couldn't separate the sides so after three-and-a-half hours of football, the tie was settled on penalties. Ebbsfleet eventually won the shootout 3-2 and the comparison wasn't lost on McMahon, who brought it up in his post-match team talk at Hampton.

"I just said it in the changing-room, exactly that, but it’s a different team this year," he said. "We’ve got a lot more experienced players and the players who are here from last year are experienced from that as well, including myself.

"We've got people like Andy Drury, Mark Phillips, Dave Winfield (new signings this season).

"Aaron McLean’s a better player than he was last year even though he’s been out for seven months because he wasn’t in the side at the time. Anthony Cook the same, Sam Deering the same - so that's three players that weren’t really involved at this stage last year that have come through this season and been fantastic. We’re a far better side."

Ebbsfleet finished the regular season with 96 points, a massive 27 more than seventh-placed Hampton, who only qualified for the play-offs because of ground grading issues at the two clubs immediately above them, Poole and Hungerford.

But that will all count for nothing when the whistle blows at 3pm on Sunday.

McMahon, who on Friday was named the National South manager-of-the-month for April, said: "Nothing’s taken for granted. We know they’re a good side.

"Christian Jolley’s a very good player, Brendan Kiernan’s dangerous as well and Duncan Culley’s a handful up top.

"We know they’re a good side but so are we and we're looking forward to the game on Sunday.

"We’ll go to try to win, like we always do. I don’t think we know any other way to be honest. They’ll have to come out, we’ll go on the front foot and try to play again."

McLean, deployed as a lone striker at the Beveree, worked tirelessly to occupy Hampton's defenders while Dean Rance's inclusion as an extra man in midfield was thoroughly vindicated as he not only dominated the central area but scored Ebbsfleet's first goal.

Whether Rance keeps his place for the second leg is another matter, though.

McMahon said: "It’s a different game at home. We may play a different way and we’ve got the personnel to change it.

"We’ve got Sean Shields as well, Yado Mambo, Danny Kedwell and Darren McQueen so it’s a pretty good bench and I’m sure that will rotate around.

"We’re halfway there. I only do one game at a time and that one’s done now, it’s half-time, we’re winning 2-1 and we get ready for Sunday."

Ebbsfleet have won their last 12 home games but know a draw would be enough to see them through to a home final against Dartford or Chelmsford.