Cray Valley boss Steve McKimm has set his sights on a top-three finish next season after their play-off heartache.

The Millers, who were knocked out after conceding a cruel deflected stoppage-time equaliser in their semi-final at Dartford last week, finished fourth in Isthmian Premier - their first season at that level.

It's been two years of success under McKimm's charge and he's already determined to go one better again.

"I said to the players, whoever's here, whoever decides to move on, whoever we decide to keep, we've got to come first, second or third next year," stated McKimm.

"Bold statement, but what we've done this year, people wrote us off, didn't give us a chance.

"I know what I can do, I know what my staff can do, and I know what players we can get out on that pitch.

"On a personal note, when you get so far, you want to push on and go and win because we're not in it to not win.

"What you've got to do is you've got to better it. So if we'd finished mid-table, you've then got to go better the next season.

"We finished fourth. We've got to go first, second or third next year to be better. If we get in the play-offs, it's still a good season.

"But we've got to do better than we've done this year and we'll work hard to do that."

McKimm didn't make any sweeping public statements at the start of the season.

But he knew there was enough quality in the Cray squad to make the top five.

"We planned for the play-offs from the start," he admitted. "You've got to plan for winning the league and the play-offs, because if you don't, you're just going out each week just to survive and we're better than that.

"Our team and squad were better than that. We knew with the additions we brought in as well through the season, we knew they were making us stronger.

"But in terms of people writing us off, I love that. I love where people write us off and don't think we're good enough, and (say) we're going to get relegated.

"It just adds to you to be better each time you go training, each time you play matches and shut these people up, because they don't know anything about football anyway.

"I might be being harsh, but they don't. They see a team that haven't been in this level at all. We're going to come back next year and be even stronger than we have been."

McKimm also revealed how much he's enjoying his role at Cray Valley.

He took them to a memorable FA Cup run which culminated in a first-round replay with League 1 Charlton last season along with winning the Isthmian South East title.

They made the play-offs this time around, despite having three points deducted late in the campaign for fielding an ineligible player.

"The people at the club, the owner, the chairman, the board, they're fantastic," added McKimm. "It's an unbelievable club to work for because they don't interfere. They don't tell me who I should play. They don't tell me who I shouldn't play.

"We have a chat about football, and it's an open chat, but they let me and the staff get on with the job. And that's what I want.

"As a football manager, I want that. I don't want to go to a club where they're dictating who I play, who I bring in, who I have to get rid of.

"I've had that once before at a club, and that didn't last too long because he sacked me and that was Carshalton. He wanted to tell me who to play and who not to play.

"My staff and this group of players have got this club at the first attempt into the play-offs. And, I'm going to say, 30 seconds away from getting into the final.”