OKEHAMPTON Rugby Club committee outlined their aim to return the club to the prestigious Western Counties league at a well-attended annual meeting held recently.

Speaking at the meeting, chairman Robert Barkwell said after being founder members of the exceptionally strong Western Counties League, the club was disappointed to have been relegated to the Devon-Cornwall League.

A series of excellent results obtained in the games after Christmas were not enough to compensate for poor results at the start of the season.

Mr Barkwell felt the players who had stuck with the club through bad times deserved the greatest praise, and said things were looking up with former first XV regular David Chowings having become team coach.

Mr Barkwell said the Devon-Cornwall League was ?no small challenge? but the aim of getting back into the higher league was ?by no means beyond us?.

Treasurer Toby Daniels said the club?s accounts showed a year of fairly strict financial control, and the balance would have been improved were it not for the fact the club had paid off both its loans during the year.

Mr Daniels said this was a mark of huge success for a sports club in today?s environment, and a credit to those who had worked to bring the situation about.

He said there must be no let up as the need now was to build up capital reserves. Increasing use of the clubhouse for a variety of purposes was a healthy sign of the public regard for the excellent facilities available for hire, added Mr Daniels.

Club president Peter Balsom in his report emphasised the family friendly atmosphere of the club, epitomised in the well organised and effective youth section.

Robert Ewen, sponsorship secretary, expressed his thanks to the Okehampton businesses and individuals who had helped raise funds towards expenses.

Okehampton Rugby Club look forward to next season with hope and a degree of expectation under the guidance of the committee, mainly as before.