IVYBRIDGE coach Spenser Owen accepts his team face a challenge to stay in South West One West for another season.

The Bridgers stayed up thanks to a last-day win at relegation rivals St Mary's to secure a second successive season as the Plymouth area's most senior non-professional team.

And Owen wants to ensure Ivybridge play South West One rugby for a third straight season.

The South Hams club were promoted almost ahead of schedule amid an RFU league shakeup.

Ivybridge thought they had failed to win promotion when they lost in the play-offs to Chosen Hill Former Pupils.

Astonished Bridgers then discovered they were promoted anyway thanks to restructuring.

The plan had been to take the jump from Western Counties West at a slightly slower pace.

Nevertheless, Owen said his players should be given credit for last season's heroics.

He said: "We achieved something that the club has never achieved before — we stayed up for a second successive season and you've got to take something from that.

"It was interesting, because things happened last year and we got promoted and we had to adapt to it. It was pretty tough.

"From a personal point of view, it's a struggle sometimes to keep yourself and the guys motivated.

"But the players give you 100 per cent, so you give it back, although sometimes last season, things got pretty dark.

"It's hard to get your head around, but we've got to do all that again this season and also aim to improve.

"I think we're ready and we're pretty much there. Obviously, it's going to be another massive challenge this year and we're not expecting an easy season.

"But the players did learn from playing in the higher league last season and I think that will help us a lot."

The Bridgers, who start their campaign at St Ives, will be without three of last season's outstanding players.

Number eight Alex Smith has returned to his home club Totnes, centre Toby Borrow — arguably one of last season's best players — has opted to join Newton Abbot and number nine Andy Swainson has a job in London.

On the plus side, second row Dan Burnard returns from a long-term injury, while Ollie Brown, another second-rower, is also likely to be promoted from the colts.

The vacant number eight position may be claimed by promising Marjon product Rob Heath, while Cameron Setter, son of colts coach Paul, is a possibility for the scrum-half slot.

Other Ivybridge colts, who reached the semi-finals of the National Cup last season, are also waiting in the wings.

Owen said: "It's disappointing — you want to put your best players out every week, but you accept some players are going to move on.

"We wouldn't ever stand in the way of their progression — we want them to be the best they can and hopefully rejoin us later on in their careers."

Owen, in his fourth year as Ivybridge coach, reckons his team have to hit the ground running on Saturday.

He said: "We've got to start as we mean to go on — after last season, the players know how important it is to do that."