SIMON Gardner wants to finish the season in style after revealing he will step down as Calne Town manager at the end of the season.

Calne enjoyed a cracking Easter weekend, hammering Devizes Town 5-1 on Good Friday before then playing out a goalless draw against Chippenham Park on Easter Monday.

That will be Gardner’s last Easter at the helm at Bremhill View, as he will step up to the role of chairman with player Neurin Jones taking over as manager.

Gardner said: “I’m really keen to finish the season with a bang.

“I’m going to take on the role of chairman and you just can’t do both. We had advertised the chairman’s position but no one came forward so I am going to do it.

“Hopefully we can solidify our position in the Western League, that’s the most important thing.

“We’ve had a bit of new blood come in on the committee recently and it’s starting to get a feeling of a good community spirit. It’s going in the right direction.”

“Neurin will do a good job. He’s got the respect of the players and and he’s been at Calne for a long time.”

Stu Windsor bagged a hat-trick against Devizes and Reece Allison got two as Calne bounced back from two successive defeats.

However, Calne were unable to match that effort against Chippenham Park, although both sides had chances.

Dan Smith, Will Giles and Mark Robinson all went close for Park, while Tom Slater could have nicked the points for Calne late on.

Park boss Dave Ferris reckons a draw was the fair result.

That was his side’s second goalless draw of the weekend, with them also playing out a stalemate against Corsham Town on Good Friday.

“Calne were organised and worked hard and although we probably had more of the better chances a draw was probably the fair result. It was a well fought local derby,” said Ferris.

“If we’d come off having won 1-0 they’d have probably have been disappointed, and if they’d nicked a smash and grab win at the end I’d have been extremely frustrated.

“We’re disappointed we didn’t pick up more points, but it’s two more points in the kitty and we’d have been very disappointed to have taken any less.”