Bournville captain James Weaver has praised his side’s debut campaign in the National League North 2 (NLN2) despite them sitting only eight points above the relegation zone.
The Chocos are currently placed 13th in the NLN2 table on 39 points with only six wins so far this season.
They most recently played last Saturday where they suffered their 18th loss of the season at home to league leaders Hull, 40-14.
Weaver said: “This year really has been about us learning and getting used to playing in National League North 2. It’s a big step-up from the Midlands Prem into this level.
“We had a very good start to the season; I think we’ve come a long way. We’ve learnt a lot about our squad this season not just from the league position.”
On how his team fared in the defeat to title-chasing Hull on Saturday, Weaver said:
“Defensively, we were a much more solid unit, we weren’t together last week.
“We were a harder team to break down. We knew they (Hull) would be very tough, with them being top of the league but I think there’s a lot we can take away as positives.”
Other than the result, the only negative Bournville had to bear with was the concerning injury suffered by Mark Coulson.
The centre came off in the first half clutching the same left arm he broke three months ago.
Coach-Player, Mitchell McGahan said: “It doesn’t look good. He had an injury in a similar area three months ago.”
Previewing the Chocos’ away game to Chester this weekend, who they beat in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, McGahan said:
“It’ll be tough. They’re a very well-drilled side. They’ve beaten a lot of teams this season especially at home.
“They’re turning their place into a bit of a fortress but if we play with the same intensity as we did today then I’m sure we can win.”
When asked if he is worrying about potential relegation, McGahan said:
“We’re not really worried about relegation. We’re just focusing on improving in areas where we think we should be improving, and we’ll carry on like this until the end of the season.”