Sittingbourne are ready to finish the job in the play-offs after missing out on the Isthmian South East title.

The Brickies reached 100 points for the season with a goalless draw at Swale rivals Sheppey on Easter Monday.

It’s a tally worthy of winning any league but they have to settle for second place behind Ramsgate, their opponents at Woodstock in the final game of the regular season this Saturday (3pm).

Rams, who clinched the title with a 4-0 win at Hythe on Good Friday while Bourne drew 1-1 with Burgess Hill, have 108 points after a record-breaking campaign.

Sittingbourne will host fifth-placed Merstham in the play-off semi-finals on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Win that and they’ll have home advantage against Burgess Hill or Margate in the final three days later on Friday (also 7.45pm).

“It’s unbelievable that 100 points doesn’t win you a league, such is the standard of Ramsgate and ourselves,” said Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell.

“We’ve pushed each other to the limit and we find ourselves in the play-offs, which is absolutely fine.

“But you only have to look around the other leagues and see what 100 points would do for you.

“It just shows the standard of the two teams.

“No disrespect to other teams in other leagues but this is the toughest of the Step 4 leagues and I have to give credit to Ramsgate.

“They’ve managed to be that little bit more consistent and that’s all it was, a very, very slim margin, and now we have to focus on going up in the play-offs.”

Sittingbourne have nothing to feel deflated about after a phenomenal campaign that’s seen them score 114 league goals to go with a quarter-final appearance in the FA Trophy.

So Maxwell pays no attention to suggestions the team finishing second struggle in the play-offs.

“There’s cliches everywhere,” he said.

“We just need to focus on the fact we’ve got the best home record in the league, and we’re at home, we’re sitting second, we’ve accumulated 100 points, we’ve got the best defensive record, so we just have to be consistent within those realms.

“Yes, we know there’s an added element of it being a knockout competition but we’ve got those experiences from the FA Trophy, so we’ll not be looking at cliches, we’ll just be focused on winning the games at hand.

“The task we’ve had since June is to get promoted.

“It’s a strong group, they’ve already shaken off not winning the league, and we are already looking forward to the play-offs.”

Sittingbourne’s final-day home game against Ramsgate had long been viewed as a potential title decider.

It hasn’t panned out that way but with nothing on the game, it means Maxwell can select a team with the play-offs in mind.

That’s likely to mean protecting a number of key players.

He did that at Sheppey, leaving Ryan Kingsford and Donvieve Jones out of the squad, although Jack Steventon made a welcome return as a second-half substitute after his rapid recovery from a dislocated knee.

“The Ramsgate game means nothing, as such, so we have to focus on getting through that fit and healthy,” said Maxwell.

“Ramsgate’s season is done but we have another objective to complete and we have to make sure we approach the game correctly with that in mind.

“We still want to make the game as competitive as we can but we know we’ve got a bigger goal to achieve on Tuesday.

“I’m sure whatever team we put out, we’ll be very competitive, but whatever’s best for us on Tuesday is what we’ll do on Saturday.”

As well as Steventon’s comeback, there was also a first appearance of the season for D’Sean Theobalds.

The midfielder, who won promotion to National League South via the play-offs with Tonbridge six years ago, played the last 15 minutes and is another good option for Maxwell.

“He’s been training hard and is in a great physical state,” said the Brickies boss.

“He’s a lovely footballer, a lovely technician, and the boys were delighted to have him back, as was I.

“He gives you that bit of composure and quality on the ball and what a very good player to have back.”

Ade Azeez scored Sittingbourne’s second-half equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Burgess Hill on Good Friday.