Dartford manager Alan Dowson expects tougher battle to reach National League South play-offs next season

Dartford manager Alan Dowson doesn’t know if he’ll be able to repeat a top-seven finish next season.

The Darts bowed out of the National League South play-offs on penalties for the second successive season - and the third time in four years - on Sunday at home to St Albans.

It meant Dartford’s second-placed finish in the league campaign ultimately counted for little.

With big teams coming down in Torquay and Yeovil, Dowson admits the challenge to earn promotion next season is going to be more difficult.

“It will be a lot tougher next year so can we compete in the top seven again? I don’t know,” said Dowson.

“I’ll have to go away in the next couple of days and think about that. The league will be stronger, we haven’t got the budget of other teams as you know, there will be teams with bigger budgets than us.

“Sometimes you have to look at yourself as well and think can I do it again? That’s what I’ve got to think of.

“I believed we could get a team in the play-offs this year. Can we do it next year? I think it’s going to be a lot tougher next year to be honest, especially with the money we pay.”

Dartford are seen as a big club at step 2, given their solid finances, excellent facilities and depth of support.

But Dowson insisted they’ve still got plenty of room for growth.

“I don’t know where the term big club comes from,” insisted the Dartford boss.

“We get watched by 900 people, we’re probably mid-table in the budgets so I think the lads have done very well. We’ve got to try and make it a big club. I’ve got to sit down and see what the budget is, and see if I can do it with that.

“I thought the budget I had this year I could get them in the top seven, I didn’t dream of getting in the top two, to be honest. Can we do it