Saints led the Premier Division table for much of the season, but a dip in results put them out of the promotion frame.

Loughborough University remained consistent and won the title on Wednesday night with a goalless draw against second-placed Castle Vale.

Winning the Birmingham Floodit Cup, enjoying their best ever FA Cup run and opening an impressive new stand at Banbury Road have made it a season to remember for Saints, but Shearsby is disappointed not to improve on last year's league finish.

"I'm chuffed we've won our first trophy for a long time - and my first as a manager, but when you get to March and you've still got a chance of the title but you come away with third or fourth place it feels like a bit of an anti-climax," he said.

"But we've got more points than last year and we've lost fewer games so there are a lot of pluses."

"I've got a good squad and there are some quality young players coming through, but I thought this might have been our year."

He added: "When I took the job I said I would be happy if we improved every year and we've finished sixth, then third, then hopefully third again."

"But we won a cup and we had our FA Cup run too, so the club is still moving in the right direction."

Injuries have depleted the squad in recent weeks, with midfielder Luke Cole playing in goal for the last five games. Shearsby himself came off the bench in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Walsall Wood.

"You can talk about injuries but what it comes down to is that we've drawn too many games. We could have won four or five of those."

"We need a goalscorer - we aren't getting enough goals and we can't keep putting the emphasis on the same couple of players."

"Jim Graham has got 19 and Stef Jones 17 and the next one after them is Dan Pirvu with nine - and he's a defender."

Saints slipped to an unexpected defeat against mid-table Walsall Wood on Saturday.

Missing regular keeper Oliver Manuel as well as Josh Cole and Danny Adams, they took a depleted squad to Oak Park.

A goal from Tangeni Nghisidmbwa early in the second half undid them, but Saints might have wrapped up the points in the first period.

They should have taken the lead with two good chances inside a minute.
First, Andy Gregory headed straight at home keeper Luke Rollins, when set up by a cross from the right by Alex Unitt, and then Graham was denied by a point-blank save after good work by Clancy and Friend.

Graham had yet another chance with five minutes of the half remaining as Rollins' punch from a Clancy cross fell at his feet, but the forward blasted his shot high and wide.

Then, with half time approaching, Rollins was to deny Si Proctor and Saints went in at the break all-square, but ruing their missed opportunities.

Walsall were to make Saints pay within seven minutes of the re-start, when Tangeni Nghisidmbwa was put through and drilled a low shot into the right-hand corner.

As the half wore on, Saints play became more disjointed with too many players off-key.

With the squad down to the bare minimum, Shearsby was forced to play himself for the last ten minutes, replacing Alex Unitt.

He was in the thick of the action, but not able to find a way through the defence.

Saints' misery was compounded on the stroke of full-time when a foul from behind on Andy Gregory left the midfielder in pain.

Gregory, who has been regaining fitness ahead of a rumoured return to Leamington next season, was taken to Warwick Hospital with a badly swollen ankle.