Proud Hythe Town manager Steve Watt moved to tears by his players after Isthmian South East play-off final defeat at Whitehawk

Proud boss Steve Watt was moved to tears after Hythe fell short in the Isthmian South East play-off final.

Watt described the Cannons’ 1-0 defeat at Whitehawk last night as “a game too far in an unbelievable season”.

Beaten by Charlie Harris’ goal two minutes before half-time, Watt’s underdogs couldn’t find a way to defy the odds one last time.

The manager gathered his players in a post-match huddle before they stood to applaud the Hawks as they collected the play-off trophy.

“I’m not one who’s lost for words very easily but in that huddle I took about five minutes to talk,” said Watt.

“I had a lump in my throat, a tear in my eye. I had to hold back tears because what those boys have done for me is incredible.

“Believe it or not, I am an emotional person but not massively within football because I know how fickle football is.

“I’ve had personal disappointment in my career but that’s not what I feel at all right now.

“I stood in that huddle and I looked in the players’ eyes and it broke my heart.

“I went across to the fans and even though they’re celebrating, it broke my heart because I know what it would have looked like if it had been the other way round and we’d won.

“The fact I’ve not been able to give them that upsets me.

“But it’s got to be one of my favourite seasons in football.

“I’ve had some really good ones, like winning the league at Maidstone.

“That will always be hard to top but when you’re at a club that’s expected to win promotion, it’s a different feeling.

“It’s elation, it’s incredible, because you don’t often win leagues, but when you’re little old Hythe and you’re battling all the odds, it makes you smile.

“It brings a tear to the eye to think we’re here tonight.

“That’s not because I don’t think the