BRIDGWATER & Albion head coach Kevin Innalls says an eventual ninth place finish in South West One was 'disappointing' considering how his side started the season.

Albion began the season with two wins from their first three games, followed by narrow defeats to the division's top sides - and although Innalls believes the club has progressed this season, he feels their chances were blighted by a string of injuries and unavailability.

He said: “We're obviously a bit disappointed, I think the way we started off the season with a couple of wins, and then we lost to the top three sides to a silly try at times.

“From there on in, we lost eight backs through injuries and through some returning to their home country and that hasn't helped us either.

“The wet weather probably helped us a bit and we also had to test the whole of our squad, with some lads stepping up from the seconds and doing well, but then losing five points for an error in our system didn't help us.

“But the I suppose the club has gone forward, we're getting good numbers at training, as are the seconds - the colts are going well and after a difficult few years for us, I think we're moving in the right direction.”

Innalls says preparations for next season are already under way and hopes to recruit a number of new players, whilst retaining his current crop, as Albion look to climb their way back into the national leagues.

He said: “As a club, we feel we should be in the division above, but we are not going to go out and chuck money at a miracle solution.

“We are looking to recruit some new players to help strengthen the side and push on from last season. We have great facilities and a great setup, so we want to be back in the national leagues.”