CHIPPENHAM director of rugby John Brown reckons that his team’s difficult start to life back in National League Three South West is simply par for the course.

At the beginning of the new season, with the Allington Field side promoted back to the fifth tier of English rugby, Brown warned that there would be no early respite and his worries have rung true as Chippenham slipped to three defeats on the spin.

Last weekend, they were beaten 32-12 at Bristol outfit Dings Crusaders, who were relegated from the league above the previous term, but Brown is keen to point out the plus points from his team’s defeat, including the way they ended the match on an upward curve.

“We knew that it would be tough stepping back up to this level but it’s not as if there weren’t positives from the game last weekend,” said Brown.

“We actually won the second half and finishing games strongly is something that we’ve been doing this season, so that’s promising.

“I’m sure that we’ll be able to compete at this level.

“Our back line has looked very solid indeed, so that’s something that we can build on. We’ve just struggled a bit on the front line.

“Dings are a team that have been established in National League rugby for some time now and they showed their dominance at the front straight away – they were dominant in the first phase and the scrummage.

“They also had a very powerful driving maul and we struggled to deal with that.”

Dominic Mackenzie and Luke Huerlin both crossed the line for Chippenham in the second half, with the latter’s try converted by Sammy Saunders.

Meanwhile, hosts Dings ran out comfortable winners thanks to four tries, three of which were converted, and two penalties.

Chippenham are back in action on home soil next weekend, hosting Old Recliffians.