Zebras’ steep learning curve in Prem

The chairman of Sherborne Town has reflected on a difficult season as the Zebras adjusted to life in the Premier Division of the Toolstation League.

John Bowers has spoken of the challenges on and off the pitch, and is upbeat about the prospects for next season under new manager, Nik Andrews.

John said: “It was a strange season for us really. Of course, it all started with Wayne deciding to leave just two weeks before our first competitive game, so overall I’ve got no complaints at how we’ve done. Panic set in a little bit, and it did affect our chances of a few new players. Luckily Neil (Waddington) stepped in, and with the help of a couple of the senior players, got us out of the mire really. We didn’t travel very well and would have liked to get more points on the road, but we had some very good performances during the season. I know we finished down near the bottom but it didn’t really feel like we were in a relegation fight and I always knew we’d be OK. “We’re looking forward to being more prepared this time around. Nik comes in with a wealth of experience managing at this level, and we hope to consolidate next season and aim for a mid-table finish. We accept that we’re not a Southern League team, but if we can be in the middle and maybe enjoy a good cup run, that would be great.”

The Zebras’ first friendly is scheduled for July 19, but preparations have already begun.

John said: “Our reserves had only finished a week ago, and already we’ve been busy working on the pitch. We’ve dug up and returfed the goalmouths, so I’ve been down there every day to water them. We’ve also done some work on the advertising hoarding around the ground. It all comes at a cost, but we’ve been lucky to get some support from the Football Foundation to help with the ground improvements. It remains a struggle running a club and it’s a bit hand to mouth sometimes. Lots of clubs are struggling and we’ve learned that a couple of teams are having to call it a day. There is some money coming from the League, with £40,000 being distributed among the teams. It will help, but we’ll have to still keep our focus on sponsorship and events and the revenue from the bar.” John touches on the challenges of travelling in light of the failed merger talks between the Toolstation and Peninsula Leagues. He said: “It’s certainly a drain on our resources and we had our second trip to Falmouth near the end of the season. The conditions were possibly worse than they were when the original fixture was postponed, and the ref was saying at half-time he was going to have to call it off, but Neil managed to persuade him to carry on. We couldn’t have afforded to go there a third time and would have really struggled to get a team. The drain on resources and players is immense for clubs like ours.”

Jack retains title with a double haul of carp

By Graham Howard