TROWBRIDGE are beginning to understand the marginal gains they need to make following their step up to South West One East in the wake of a fourth defeat at the start of the season, according to coach Dan Jeffries.

The Doric Park side were crowned Southern Counties South champions last season but have picked up only two points from the opening month this term, the latest of those coming in a 28-23 loss at Old Centralians last Saturday.

Only two late penalties from the hosts denied Trowbridge their first win of the campaign and Jeffries has no doubt his side possess the quality to get off the mark soon.

“It was exactly the same story as it has been all season for us, it is as if we have lost the ability to finish games off,” said Jeffries.

“We have played the top three teams in the table already this season and been within a score or 10 minutes of beating them all.

“If we had started the season off with games against some of the weaker teams and got some good results on the board, we would be really happy.

“I know last season that when momentum was with us, we definitely would have come away with five points in each of our last four fixtures.

“One per cent changes are exactly what we have been talking about with the boys. The tiniest mistakes are costing us at the moment.

“If we can find that little bit more control and belief to get ourselves over the line, then I have no doubt the wins will start to come quickly.”

Trowbridge got off to a slow start in Gloucester and shipped two tries early on.

However, they recovered well to take the lead at half-time thanks to a Tom Weaver penalty, Andrew Twinney’s touchdown and a penalty try.

Max Day then got over the whitewash for the visitors early in the second half before Old Centralians hit back with two more tries of their own to get their noses in front.

Another Weaver penalty put Trowbridge back in front late on but Centralians responded with two kicks themselves in the dying stages to snatch the win and leave Jeffries' side to travel back to Wiltshire with only a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.

Jeffries added: “It is a bitterly disappointing one. We did enough to come away with more points than we took.

“Injuries in midfield are still hitting us quite hard and we are yet to put out our full-strength back-line.

“Once those clear up, then I am sure we will start to get ourselves going.”

Trowbridge welcome Oxford Harlequins to Doric Park on Saturday.