UNDER manager Dave Jenkin, Penryn Athletic enjoyed their best-ever campaign in the Carlsberg SWL last season by finishing fifth in the league and reaching the final of the League Cup.

However, this season is going to be even more difficult because according to Jenkin the rest of the league will know what big strides the Kernick Road club has made especially after they lived up to last season's expectations of a top-six finish.

"We were tipped by most to finish in the top six and that proved to be an accurate forecast," said Jenkin "but to be honest I was disappointed with that position and I told the players exactly where we had gone wrong.

"As far as I am concerned that wasn't great by me because we should have finished as runners-up, but we didn't have enough know-how or the ability to scrap and eke out points. We failed to close out a number of games and I gave them the reasons why, but we did beat all the top sides including Bodmin, St Blazey, and Truro City."

As far as player personnel is concerned there has been little movement in or out of the club. "We've lost Wayne Brown to Falmouth Town, but we have gained Mike Cain from Truro City," added Jenkin.

"As far as I am concerned we now have a quartet of defenders to compare with any side in the league. Cain, Dean Harris, Darren Holsey and Lee Bradd are about as good as you will get anywhere in the SWL.

Dale Band, Matt Drummond and James Miller have all looked sharp, so I am quite pleased with how things have gone."

With Dennis Annear having retired following his injury during the latter end of the season, club stalwart Chris Symons has been training hard and will start the season as Jenkin's number one goalkeeper.

"He's earned his chance and now he'll start the season as first-choice 'keeper - it's up to him to take it," said Jenkin.

Despite his settled squad Jenkin is still hoping to add to it and top of his priority list is a midfield playmaker.

Whilst Jenkin is happy with his squad he is less than happy with the fact that he is going to be missing a number of players from the first week in September.

"I felt we had the rough end of some sendings off during the latter part of the season, especially James Miller who had lumps kicked out of him and was sent off for asking the referee about it," said Jenkin.

Lee Bradd, Rusty Rowson, Dean Harris, Darren Haolsey and Matt Moore have also received bans.

"It's important we get as many points as possible in the opening games because we are going to be hit by suspensions," said Jenkin.

"We want to start the season not wanting to concede goals, to make it difficult for sides to score again us and I want us to be really disappointed when we do concede a goal," said Jenkin.

"We have to be out there fighting and scrapping for every point because at the business end of the season I want us to be in there sniffing for honours.

"This is a very important season for all the league's clubs, but we want to finish as high as we can to ensure we are in the new peninsula league. Bodmin, St Blazey, Plymouth Parkway (Jenkin's dark horses for the title), Liskeard, Saltash, Millbrook, Torpoint, and Wadebridge are all going to be in the mix and we have to finish in front of some of those teams to make the cut, so it is going to be really difficult.

"Last season we earned the respect of a lot of clubs, but I'm in it to win it and that's what I'm expecting of the team."