BRIDGWATER Town player-manager Dave Pearse reflected on a successful season after watching his side end on a high at the weekend.

The Robins won 4-2 at Cadbury Heath in Saturday’s season finale, with Mark Armstrong’s first half brace added to by Sam Towler and a Jake Llewellyn penalty after the break - Llewellyn has now scored all 11 of his spot-kicks this season.

It was a welcome end to a positive season which has seen just one defeat - last Wednesday’s 1-0 reverse at eventual champions Willand Rovers - since December 15.

Pearse said: “It has certainly been a big improvement on last season, when we lost 16 times - we have only lost five matches this season.

“The frustration is that I can pick out five or six games where we threw away points and, if we had seen them out, the situation could have been very different.

“There were several games early in the season - Cadbury Heath at home, where we conceded a last minute equaliser, or Roman Glass away, where we were 4-1 up and drew 4-4 - that ended up preventing us challenging higher up.

“I am also disappointed with our performances in the FA Cup and FA Vase, but overall it has been a successful season and I am very happy.

“To finish in the top four and reach a Les Phillips Cup semi-final is a good achievement and we have arguably over-achieved this season.”

Pearse also believes this season has provided the basis to challenge even higher next time around.

“If you look at a team like Willand, they have been together for several years and built steadily, which is something we can try and emulate,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone wants to leave - one or two might move on, that’s the way it is - and Karl [Baggaley] and I know what we need to strengthen.

“I think we could do with a bit more firepower to help Jack [Taylor, who scored 33 goals] out.

“Those games where we dropped silly points, we could have been a bit more clinical and finished teams off.

“Jack has committed to us for next year already, which is a massive bonus.

“Next year, the honeymoon is over and we will look to challenge at the very top.

“We have to believe in ourselves that we can do that, and we have matched the top three in games this season.

“Bitton away was the turning point - we really started to believe in ourselves after that game.

“I have said to them many times that we are capable of matching anyone and it was only after that game I felt the players believed it, too.

“Hopefully, we can take that attitude into next season.

“If you look at where we were when Karl [Baggaley] and I took over two years ago, when we had just been relegated, we had to rebuild.

“With that in mind, I am pleased with where we are now - the crowds are going up all the time and we are playing some good football.”