Manager Ben Smith will still consider this season a success even if Ramsgate miss out on the league title.

Pre-season favourites Rams face being pipped to the Isthmian South East crown by a relentless Cray Valley side.

Rams are top on goal difference after the title rivals drew 2-2 at Southwood on Saturday but the championship is out of their hands as the Millers have a game in hand.

Rams won’t give up the fight, knowing anything can happen in football, but even if they have to go through the play-offs, Smith believes they can hold their heads high.

With two games to play, their tally of 86 points is already seven more than last season’s champions Chatham ended with.

They’ve also scored 101 league goals, 36 more than Chats managed en route to promotion to the Isthmian Premier.

Add in record runs in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy, reaching the second and first rounds respectively, and it’s been a season to remember for Ramsgate, whatever happens from here.

“We’ve done a hell of a job this season,” said Smith, with Rams off to Chichester on Saturday for their penultimate game.

“When you consider we’ve broken the league points record and gone the furthest the club’s even been in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, I don’t know what else we can do.

“The exposure the FA Cup run gave the club was ridiculous and we’ve signed players who would never have played for this club before.

“We also brought Joe Taylor back.

“People said it was money-orientated but, honestly, he could have gone for a lot more money elsewhere.

“He wanted to come here and play for me in our set-up and he’s scored 49 goals for us.

“We won’t give up on the league but we’ve got to have half an eye on the play-offs.

“I know the play-offs all too well (winning them with Herne Bay in 2022) and mentally we’ve got to prepare the players for that.

“We’ve still got a good chance of going up but I’m disappointed we’ve done such a good job and still may not win the league.

“Honestly, I think we’ve done such a good job.”

Smith is well used to comments about Ramsgate’s budget.

The moneybags tag is one they won’t shake off but the manager has reiterated the club only spend what they make.

“We’re self-sustainable,” said Smith.

“People point fingers at us but they should be looking in other directions when they talk about money being spent.

“It would be interesting if financial fair play came in at this level.

“People think we’d be in trouble - absolutely not. It would be the complete opposite.

“Maybe people should be questioning where the budget comes from at these clubs who don’t have a big following, not one that can pull in crowds of 2,500.

“People bark up the wrong tree sometimes but there we go.”