THORNBURYfinished the Tribute South West One West league season comfortably in mid-table but were left to wonder what might have been had Lady Luck smiled on them throughout the campaign.

At their best, Thorns were an outstanding side, capable of challenging at the top of the table yet there were also dark days when, for some inexplicable reason, the injury-ravaged side failed to turn up.

Head coach Gareth Llewellyn targeted a top six finish and that looked a distinct possibility after a decent pre-season. Liam Pemberton took over as captain and half-backs Jak Evans and Matt Belbin returned to the club but Thorns had a bad start to the league season losing the first three games. They were bottom when they travelled to Cleve.

Ed Sheldon scored a magnificent individual try and Thornbury lead 18-14 as the game went into injury time but committed hara-kiri and lost 24-21.

Thorns missed their physically biggest players with former skipper George Maggs and James Murray injured and unable to play throughout the season.

Others fell by the wayside and the Hussey brothers Dan and Jack both broke a leg.

At its peak the injury crisis meant 28 senior players were unavailable.

Thorns defeated Clevedon for their first win, then won at Cullompton for the first time.

Sheldon scored a hat-trick in a frustrating draw with Drybrook then Thornbury went to league leaders Ivybridge. Thorns were 'only eleventh', the Ivybridge President reminded those in the clubhouse before the game, and as Ivybridge 'are unbeaten and have only dropped one bonus point so far', Thornbury had no chance.

Embarrassed home faces saw Thornbury turn around a 26-11 half-time deficit to deservedly win 34-31 and secure maximum points.

Autumn wins over Matson and St Austell plus a narrow defeat at Camborne preceded a freak match with Wells where Thorns scored six tries but Wells crossed for eight. Then, with the injury crisis at its peak, Thorns lost the next five games including a shocking performance at Clevedon.

Thorns were eleventh but secured a nervous win over bottom club Cullompton. Injured players began to return and Thorns won six successive matches, securing the double over Ivybridge in the process. Sheldon scored four tries against Camborne then defeat at Wells was followed by an outstanding 41-7 win over Avonmouth. The last game, at Bideford, was drawn.

Thorns finished seventh with 66 league points, their highest in this league. Yet Thorns should have won both drawn games and the two matches with North Petherton plus the game at eventual champions Cleve.

Thornbury entered the Bristol Combination Cup but lost to Dings Crusaders in the semi-final. Nevertheless, it was a season to look back on with pride. Ed Sheldon was the leading try scorer in the league with 21 tries. He and Jak Evans represented Moseley in the British & Irish Cup and the pair were the most influential backs. Skipper Liam Pemberton played in every match and James Wood was the leading player in a pack of forwards that matched and frequently out-played the bigger packs in the league.

The second XV endured a torrid season with many players injured or promoted to the first team. Several games were not played and there were some significant defeats.

However, skipper Steve Allington led Thorns to a 27-18 win over Lydney, their most satisfying of the season.

The third team, under skipper Richard Daniell and manager Steve Coghlan, had an excellent season, introducing several youngsters to senior rugby and reaching the semi-final of the GRFU Reserve League Cup.