Ebbsfleet United manager Dennis Kutrieb targets National League South title to avoid play-off agony again

Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb knows the perfect way to avoid play-off heartache again next season.

The Fleet boss saw his side come within seconds of promotion against Dorking Wanderers last weekend.

But the hosts hit back to equalise deep into stoppage time and then triumphed 3-2 in extra-time at Meadowbank.

It means Dorking will dine at non-league’s top table and Ebbsfleet start all over again in National League South come August, with Kutrieb’s determination to win the title greater than ever.

“We don’t want to have this experience again,” stated Kutrieb, who has agreed a new two-year deal to remain at Stonebridge Road.

“I think in a bigger picture, it’s easier to gain automatic promotion than to go through the play-offs.

“As you can see, if a referee wants to have an influence you can’t win it or it’s tougher to win it. It’s easier to make it right during the season, then you don’t have to suffer on the last game and say it was unfair or whatever.”

When Dorking hosted Ebbsfleet in the league, referee Jason Richardson had a big influence on the result with two yellow cards for Sefa Kahraman in the first 16 minutes.

Lightning struck twice for the Fleet in the play-off final with Richardson again in the middle. This time, the Fleet - quite rightly - felt he played too much additional time, even accounting for a two-minute delay after a smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch by a visiting fan.

“We had the same experience with the same referee here,” said Kutrieb.

“I can’t put it into words. If you don’t know how you would explain it in a different language - disappointing is the word but it’s not just that, it’s much more.

“We can’t change it, that’s football. You need to suffer sometimes, you need to suffer hard and