A BRACE from Craig Sheppard was enough for Trowbridge Town to put some gloss on a frustrating campaign for last season’s champions.

Dexter Chipeni got the hosts’ third as they dispatched Devizes Town Reserves 3-1 on the final day of the season to finish fifth overall.

Despite not being able to defend their crown, with Wroughton finishing six points clear of the chasing pack courtesy of a 6-1 win over Wilts Calne Town, manager Tom Robson believes the way his team have ended the campaign has given him hope heading into the summer.

“It was a good way to end the season,” he said.

“It’s been a tough season from our point of view and it was nice to end the season with a win and not only that, the last six or seven weeks, apart from the 5-0 loss to Wroughton, we had five wins on the bounce and things are looking up.

“I am glad about that because I’m looking to rebuild for next season.

“I think it was Devizes’ under 18s that played and they gave us a good game and we had our chances and probably should have been more than 3-1.

“A win is a win and we end the season on a high.”

And now Robson is already planning for next season and regaining the crown from Wroughton with some early recruitment.

“We’ve already tried to speak to some of the old boys that were here a couple of seasons ago and weren’t playing so much last season,” he added.

“The boys that were here this season, we got on to them early doors and it’s all about trying to get into people’s ears early.

“I think at the start of the season, we thought a lot of the boys that won the league were going to stay but they ended up going elsewhere.

“The recruitment process was a bit long but we’ve got on it early doors for next season.”

In the only other game at the weekend, Bromham were 2-0 victors over Ludgershall Sports.