Ramsgate manager Ben Smith speaks about the challenge ahead after Isthmian South East play-off disappointment

Ben Smith is using Ramsgate’s Isthmian South East play-off disappointment as motivation to go one better next season.

Smith has spent hours reflecting on Rams’ shock 1-0 semi-final defeat by Chichester a fortnight ago.

Emotions were running high after the game, with the manager accusing his players of bottling the tie.

But he’s done with trying to work out how a team who scored 106 league goals and finished runners-up with 89 points couldn’t find the net during a match they dominated.

It’s about turning that disappointment into fuel for next season’s promotion push after Rams moved quickly to confirm the former Herne Bay boss would remain in charge.

Key midfielder TJ Jadama has followed record goalscorer Joe Taylor in signing a new deal at Southwood.

Jack Paxman, the ex-Maidstone and Ebbsfleet midfielder, Tom Hadler and Benny Bioletti were already contracted for 2024/25.

Smith said: “We’ve got some business done quickly and there’s other players we’re talking to as well.

“It’s not a case of Joe Taylor and TJ are the ones we want to talk to and screw everyone else.

“That’s not the case at all but they are big players for us and everyone recognises that.

“We’ve got a core group, hopefully we’ll have a couple more re-signed and then it’s a case of what can we add around that?

“We haven’t fallen far short this season but we didn’t achieve what we wanted to, so it’s about how can we come back better?

“We have that badge of honour of having a very good season but zero to show for it.

“We have to move on and that’s what we’re doing.

“We’re thinking of ways we can reinvent ourselves in some aspects while keeping the things we’ve done well.

“We’ve got to go into next season thinking we have to get 100 points.

“We have to use