Sam Arnott is brutally honest when assessing Lydney Rugby Club’s season.

The club have struggled for much of the National League Three South West campaign and only made certain of staying in the division with a 27-24 win over now relegated Launceston on April 1.

“It’s been massively unacceptable,” admitted player/assistant coach Arnott, whose season has been badly disrupted by injury. “We scraped over the line which was the most important thing but it wasn’t what we expected.

“We felt we’d recruited well and our ambition was to win promotion. We never thought it was going to be a survival season, no one predicted that.

“We’ve got a very young side. Against Launceston we had seven teenagers so it was testament to them that they came though that game.

“It wasn’t the plan to bring in so many youngsters but we lost quite a lot of experienced players so we had to bring in the younger lads. Thankfully they came up trumps in the end.”

Two of the players who have particularly impressed Arnott are back row or second row Angus Southon and loosehead prop Costner Lane.

Both 18, Southon is a student at Hartpury while Lane, a Lydney boy, has been selected for the South West England under-20 squad.

Arnott said: “Angus has bundles of pace and is an enthusiastic lad. If he carries on the way he is he will play at a higher level.

“Costner has played in every league game and to be playing loosehead at his age in national league rugby is a huge testament to him.”

Lane does not have too far to go if he needs any advice because the club’s first team manager is legendary former prop Paul Price, who played more than 400 games for Lydney.

The coaching team is headed by Rhys Oakley, with Chris Holder, who is retiring as a player, an assistant coach alongside Arnott.

Arnott, who is also the club’s captain, admits that he doesn’t find it easy to combine playing with coaching.

He is in his second season as player/assistant coach and took on the extra responsibility at the age of just 25.

“It is quite a steep learning curve,” he said. “Standing up in front of people in a room or taking a session, you have to learn very quickly.”

Arnott was unable to play until January this season after having reconstructive surgery on a knee. He managed seven games before the knee gave away again although this time around he is hoping to avoid having an operation and is aiming to be fit for the start of next season.

Whether on the pitch or watching from the sidelines at the start of the September, Arnott is hoping for a much better season than the one just gone.

“We need to add to the squad,” he said. “You don’t jump 10 places with the same squad. We need to find a blend of youth and experience.”