CHRIS Smith finished six points ahead of runner-up Michael Ingham in The Press Player of the Year contest.

Former Northern Ireland ’keeper Ingham closed the gap by one point after winning our man-of-the-match award at the final game of the season against Dagenham on Saturday.

That accolade earned Ingham another three points in the final standings while Smith received a further two as our second-highest rated performer at Victoria Road.

David McGurk collected the remaining point on offer as The Press’ third-best man in East London.

The final Press Player of the Month award, meanwhile, has also been won by Smith after he picked up the two bonus points available having polled the most man-of-the-matches from visitors to our website following the Dagenham game.

It means the skipper took the honours for the last two months of the season.

Dan Parslow won three of the monthly prizes, sharing the February accolade with Jack O’Connell after finishing the outright victor for August and December.

Others to finish top of the standings throughout the season were Michael Potts (January), Danny Kearns (November), Jamal Fyfield (October) and Ingham (September).

Ten-goal top scorer Ashley Chambers surprisingly finished the season as the most ill-disciplined player with seven yellow cards.

Jason Walker headed the assists table.

The Press Player of the Year latest standings (not including Player of the Month bonus points): C Smith 40 points, Ingham 34, Parslow 30, Blair 24, O’Connell 18, Fyfield 17, Chambers 16, Walker 16, McGurk 15, Kerr 13, Kearns 12, Oyebanjo 11, Coulson 8, McLaughlin 6, Potts 6, Carlisle 5, Carson 5, J Smith 5, McGrath 4, Doig 3, Rankine 3, Reed 3, Blanchett 2, Obeng 2, Rodman 2, Taylor 2, Challinor 1, Johnson 1, Platt 1, A Reed 1.

The Press Player of the Month for April final standings: Smith 10, Ingham 8, McGurk 6, Parslow 5, A Reed 3, Blair 2, Carson 2, Chambers 2, Cresswell 2.

Goals: Chambers 10, Walker 9, Blair 7, Coulson 5, McLaughlin 4, Own goals 4, J Reed 4, C Smith 4, Potts 3, Cresswell 2, A Reed 2, Parslow 1, Rodman 1.

Assists: Walker 7, Blair 6, Chambers 6, J Smith 5, Parslow 4, C Smith 4, Kearns 3, McLaughlin 3, Carlisle 2, Carson 2, Coulson 2, Kerr 2, McGrath 2, Rodman 2, Challinor 1, Cresswell 1, Fyfield 1, Ingham 1, Platt 1, Reed 1.

Bad boys: Chambers 7 yellow cards; C Smith 6 yellow; Kerr 1 red, 3 yellow; Ingham 4 yellow; Fyfield 3 yellow; Blair, Coulson, McGurk, McLaughlin, O’Connell, Oyebanjo, Parslow, Platt, Potts all 2 yellow; Carlisle, Carson, Challinor, Cresswell, Doig, Johnson, A Reed, Rodman, J Smith, Walker all 1 yellow.