My views on our last game against Oakwood have been delayed because as soon as the season is over, I'm at my busiest trying to make sure we are best prepared for next year's challenge. Updates on that will follow in the coming weeks.

With a week or so to reflect, I think our last game perfectly encapsulated the last few weeks of the season. We put ourselves into a winning position and then didn’t see it through, with those final four games all being drawn when we should have won. In the first half, it was a real end-of-season game, with both sides playing with a lack of intensity, knowing there was nothing on it.

At half-time, we spoke about making sure we finished on a high, that for some players, it was an audition for next year, and that they must personally ensure that the management's memory of their final game was a positive one. Whatever it was in both dressing rooms, the second half came alive.

We went in front when Asher Maliki reached a through ball just before the goalkeeper and passed the ball calmly into the net and shortly afterwards scored a quite astonishing goal, winning the ball in his own half nearer his own goal before beating two players to the ball, going past a third and finishing really well after dummying the goalkeeper. For me, a goal of the season contender. At this point, I thought that would be that, but our recent performances have shown that when we concede, we normally do again, and so it proved. Oakwood not only equalised but should have won it right at the end, when again, somehow, I was grateful for the final whistle when minutes earlier I was contemplating finishing the year with a win.

Another draw in a sequence that cost us a play-off place was the negative. The positive was an unbeaten 15-game run, which was the best in the league all year.

Finally, the disappointment that we didn’t get that play-off place has gone, and work has begun on making the necessary improvements so we can do better next time.

It's been entertaining, and of course, my thanks again go to all those associated with the club, in particular those who keep the club running day in and day out, the players for their commitment, the staff for their unwavering support, and the supporters who make a difference to the team every week.

See you all again soon.

Gaffer Glynn Stephens
First Team Manager

Credit to John Atherton for the photo.
More pics from the Oakwood game will be uploaded this weekend.