A HEAVY defeat to promotion hopefuls Bridgwater in the final match of the season meant Chinnor climbed above Maidenhead into fourth spot in South West 1, although as far as coach Simon Edward is concerned his side is still the best non professional team in the league.
But all that might be about to change, as he explained: “Let’s be honest, against the top three we’re nowhere near it.
“We battled for two points against Bridgwater at home and they slipped up, but Clifton away, Cinderford away and Bridgwater away was no contest.
“And that’s what we have to aspire to next year.
“I think we have gone as high as we can with the current structure and budget at the club.
“The team is nearly good enough, but it needs three or four players in key positions to strengthen the squad if we want to make it a championship winning side.
“That’s why it’s decision time for the club. Does it want to aspire to that and invest in players?”
Heavy investment in players can be a real gamble, and several local clubs from the national leagues who went down that path have now run into financial trouble.
Edwards said: “Do we want to go down that road? No! But we can’t stand still either. If we don’t do anything we’ll go backwards.
“This side could stay together and end up in midtable again next year, but with one or two injuries we could be relegated.”
“Let’s be quite clear about this. On our day, and with something to play for, we’re not far off any of them as we are.
“It’s not time to go out and recruit 15 new players, but I do believe it’s time to recruit three or four, just to create some serious competition for places in the existing team.
“We need an even bigger squad. Irons are in the fire and there will be things happening in the next few weeks.
“Due to problems at other clubs in the local area there could be some fallout of players, and I’m hoping we’ll be able to step in.”
But Edwards is also extremely keen to keep his current squad intact, as it already contains the nucleus of a promotion-winning side.
He said: “We have moved massively forward this season. It’s a credit to the players. They have really worked hard.
“We have a much stronger squad than ever before, and I’m not aware of any players wanting to move on.”
That upbeat attitude was also apparent on Saturday, as Edwards revelled in the surroundings of the Somerset side’s huge ground and a cup-final atmosphere.
He said: “What a lovely set-up they have down there, and what a fantastic crowd.
“It was at least 2,000 – the biggest almost any of our players have ever played in front of.”
Virtually all of those 2,000 fans were shouting for the home side.
However, Edwards refuted any suggestion that his team might have been over-awed by the occasion, saying: “At times we matched them, and sometimes we were better.
“I thought our backs division was as good as theirs. And our centre partnership made their expensive signings look very ordinary.
“But we were a yard short in the forwards and our nine and 10 were always playing behind a losing pack.
“If we'd had as much possession as them we would have put 50 points on them.”
Nonetheless, Edwards claimed the defeat had come as no surprise, adding: “It wasn't unexpected.
“I was just pleased we didn't get a good hiding. And apart from that silly try at the end it would have been very respectable.
“In fact we got one of the best results this week against promotion contenders.
“Clifton won by 122 points, Cambridge by 95 and Worthing by 75.
“Although I question what sort of team Penryn took to Clifton.
“And if they haven’t sent their best team it’s a bit out of order.
“It could have cost Bridgwater a play-off spot.”

The season may be over for most, but some of the Maidenhead squad are now moving on to the sevens season, starting with a game at Grasshoppers tomorrow (Saturday), as a preliminary match to the Middlesex Sevens.
On Tuesday night the Berkshire Sevens kicks off at Redingensians at 6pm, although Maids will be without Stuart Mackay, who flies out on Monday to continue his season in Canada.