It is hard to gauge whether it was a sucessful season for Maldon Town because it is difficult to know what the club's ambitions are.

A ninth place finish in division one north is no disgrace.

But this comes the year after they finished in the play-off zone and didn't take part, having already informed the league they were not interested in promotion.

So, after announcing at the beginning of the season they would be going all out for promotion this time around, it is somewhat disappointing for Town fans that the club has fallen a fair way short of their target.

You can't help but feel the Maldon of 2006/2007 was the team which would of taken them up - climbing the table and winning right up to the end of the season, despite the players and management knowing they were playing for nothing but pride.

With Colin Wallington moving on to Tiptree United in the summer, Russell Tanner took over and it looked like a season of promise was ahead.

Big name signings Ollie Berquez and Wayne Purser arrived, along with Ross Parmenter and former Arsenal reserve team member Greg Oates.

However, only Parmenter remained come the end of the season, as the others sought pastures new by Christmas, by which time Maldon were sat in mid-table, but by no means out of the play-off race.

They were indebted to the goals of striker Steve Wareham, who enjoyed his most prolific season for the club.

Utilised in a variety of positions in previous years, Wareham smashed in 20 goals from 31 games before joing East Thurrock United in the premier division in the latter part of the season.

He was replaced successfully by former Witham Town strikers Kevin Hawes and Jamie Ricks, although their late goal glut was not enough to take Maldon into the play-offs as no wins in their last five matches proved critical.

Certainly one of the best sides in the league, Maldon just lack the ability to grind out result after result, which they had the year before.

If Tanner can keep hold of the squad he has ready for next season, there is every chance they can think about promotion again.