Hythe have the opponents they wanted after landing a play-off place in a dramatic final few minutes of the season.

The Cannons are off to Isthmian South East runners-up Ramsgate - the only side to do the double over them this season - in tonight’s semi-final (7.45pm).

It comes after Hythe had looked set to miss out on fifth place despite finishing the campaign with a sixth straight victory.

They did their bit by beating Haywards Heath 4-0 but needed rivals Cray Valley and Sheppey to draw.

The Millers went 2-1 up in the 90th minute and that looked to be that for Steve Watt and his side, only for the Ites to level four minutes into added time.

“It was one of my best days in football,” said Cannons boss Watt.

“Not just getting in the play-offs but the way it unfolded.

“Like I said to the players afterwards, you’ve got to enjoy days like this because they don’t come around too often.

“You achieve things when you win titles or promotion or you survive in a league, and that’s a great feeling.

“But the way it all unfolded was something else.

“All the time Sheppey were winning 1-0, we knew we’d get in the play-offs on goal difference if we could win 6-0.

“We went for it, Frannie Collin’s missed a penalty and we’ve missed some great chances, but it finished 4-0 and then you’ve got that agonising wait for the other game to finish.

“From the 84th minute we’re in, the 90th minute we’re out again and the 94th minute we’re back in. It was a day I’ll never forget.

“You can’t replicate a feeling like that, with the way it happened. We could have been in the play-offs with two or three games to spare and it would have been a great achievement but it wouldn’t have been the same as that.

“That’s why I say it’s one of my best days in football, for that feeling, and seeing how much it meant to everybody at the club, people like Mick the kitman who are all volunteers, and the fans who watch us every week.

“All season we’ve been written off and disrespected by a lot of clubs, who’ve said stuff about us.

“For our players to achieve what they have, I couldn’t be happier or more proud of the boys.

“The way they’ve done it is quite remarkable.”

Hythe’s 17th clean sheet of the season ensured they finished with the best defensive record in the division, conceding just 34 goals, with only six of those coming at Reachfields.

It’s been an extraordinary second half of the season for Watt’s side, who won 14 of their last 19 games to break into the top five.

They travel to Southwood tonight having lost 2-1 and 1-0 to Ramsgate in the regular season.

The sides go into the play-offs from different angles, Rams having missed out on the title and the Cannons taking fifth place at the death.

It’s all set for a fascinating clash.

“We wanted Ramsgate in the play-offs,” said Watt, who’s good friends with Rams boss Jamie Coyle.

“We’ve lost twice to them this season and we felt we should have done better.

“They’re one of only three teams we’ve not beaten - we’ve beaten the other 16 - and we want to go there and right a wrong.

“They’re the second best team in the league - the table doesn’t lie - and we’re up against a very good side who will fight all the way.

“They’ve shown that under Coyley.

“They’re massive favourites, not just to beat us but to win the play-offs and we’re in their back yard but you could also say with the way the season’s been, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Everything’s been done the hard way.

“I’ve seen a screenshot from one of their players saying on paper they should smash us, so we’ll have to try not to get smashed.

“Some people may say it’s an impossible task going there but we’ve already achieved the impossible, according to some people, by making the play-offs.

“We expected to be in there, with the team we had, but no one else did.

“There’s been some good stories this season and I hope there’s another chapter to write.

“If I’m going to lose to anyone, I’d want it to be Coyley, but I’ll be doing everything I can to win and he’ll be exactly the same.”

Hythe were once again nerveless against Haywards Heath and - win or lose - Watt can’t see them being overawed tonight.

He said: “That was our best performance of the season on Saturday - nobody was lower than an eight or nine out of 10.

“We’ll see when the whistle goes but the boys shouldn’t be nervous because we’ve been playing play-off football for the last six games, so nothing changes for us.

“No team is better prepared than us for this because we’ve had to keep winning to get in there. This experience is no different.

“We just have to try and win another game of football, to give us another game of football.

“This team was put together to play a certain way, the players have bought into that and they’ve gone from strength to strength.

“The togetherness for a team that’s been put together this season is unbelievable.

“You normally see it from a team who’s been together three or four years.

“The players deserve all the plaudits for what they’ve done.

“They’re the ones going out there, putting their bodies on the line and running through brick walls for us.”