BRACKNELL Town player-manager Carl Davies says his team deserve to be playing at Step 4 next season, writes Dave Wright.

The Robins just missed out on winning the Hellenic League title, but have secured promotion to the Southern League.

They had to beat Tuffley Rovers by 10 clear goals in their final league game last Saturday to finish above Thatcham, but managed just eight after a magnificent display of attacking football.

“We won 8-0 and came off the field gutted – it’s not often you say that,” bemoaned Davies.

“Obviously, we are very disappointed as we wanted to win the title, but look at the season as a whole, we have got promotion and that was the club’s main aim.”

The Robins, buoyed by their 7-1 win at Lydney last Thursday, attacked incessantly from the kick-off, scoring four goals inside the opening 20 minutes.

But they just fell short of their ultimate target despite creating a whole host of chances.

Davies continued: “We had a right old go and but for their keeper, who is one of the best in the league, we would have done it. He (Dave Evans) had an absolutely outstanding game.

“It could have been 15 goals easy. Two of his saves were unbelievable, we couldn’t believe how he got to two of them.

“But I could not have asked for any more from my team.

“We had a right old go. When we were 7-0 up with about 25 minutes to go, we were thinking this is on.

“But then we had a little patch where nothing really happened, and that perhaps killed the game a bit.

“I got one (a goal) at the end – rolling back the years – but it was too little too late.

“We had a good go, won 8-0, there’s no shame in that.

“Everybody is dead on their feet. We have played three games in five days and to perform like that is a real credit to the lads.

“They deserve to be Step 4 players because they are good enough.”

Promotion has come in a season where Town have had three sets of managers.

Mark Tallentire, who had just failed to guide the club to promotion a year ago, left in September and was replaced by Jeff Lamb and Paul McGrotty.

But following Town’s exit from the FA Vase on February 24, chairman Kayne Steinborn-Busse decided another change was needed.

Davies was appointed player-manager with coach Geoff Warner and assistant manager Steve Nebbett both returning to the club.

“For all those changes to happen and still achieve promotion, is a real credit to the lads,” Davies commented.

Since the last change at the top, Bracknell reeled off 13 straight league wins, but he stated: “I am not taking the credit.

“Yes, I pick the team with Nebbs and Geoff, but it’s the players who deserve the credit. They have stuck together in the dressing room, they are a real credit to the club.

“They go out and perform week in, week out, they are a unit, they can manage themselves if I’m honest.

“But I must say that Nebbs is massive in the changing room, he’s vocal and gets people rallied up, while Geoff has a lot of knowledge and experience.

“The two together are great to have on board. They are a massive reason as to why we have got that (unbeaten) record.”

Despite missing out on the title, Bracknell can still end the season with some silverware – at Thatcham’s expense.

The two promoted sides meet in the final of the Hellenic League Cup, sponsored by Bluefin Sports, at Windsor’s Stag Meadow next Monday (3pm).

“We will give them a good game, there’s no doubt about that. We are all looking forward to Monday’s final,” added Davies.

“I would like to congratulate Thatcham on winning the league. The table doesn’t lie and they are top on merit although we could hardly have been any closer to them. We respect them, they are a good team.

“But we all want to win the trophy as it would be a nice way to finish off the season and all the lads deserve a winner’s medal.”