BOSS Alan Lay wants Swanage Town & Herston to start building now for a top-five push next season –despite having "underachieved" this term.

Lay made his assessment after Swans had bounced back from a 6-1 thrashing at Mere to win their final home match of the Dorset Premier League season on Saturday – a 1-0 triumph over Westland Sports.

Sam Beale struck his fourth goal in six matches to settle matters at Day's Park to give Lay's men the perfect platform for their final three away matches at Parley, Shaftesbury and Sherborne Town reserves.

Discussing his side's campaign, Lay said: "Overall, I think we've underachieved a little bit. There have been some really good performances and some great football but we have been nowhere near consistent enough.

"It has been a tough season in some respects through injury and availability but the table doesn't lie.

"If we can cut out some of the softer goals and convert some of those frustrating draws into wins then we have a good chance of getting into the top five next season. That's the target."

On Saturday's success, Lay added: "After the Mere debacle, we knew Westland would be a difficult fixture and it was important that we reacted, showed some character and signed off with a win.

"I thought the players were superb for 90 minutes. The pitch was really hard, it was a hot day and the conditions were difficult but they played some good stuff, defended brilliantly and deserved to edge a tight game.

"The two stand-out moments both came in the first half when (goalkeeper) Nick Taylor, who has been out for eight months through injury, produced a brilliant one handed save and then Sam Beale's fantastic top corner finish.

"Considering Sam has been away travelling for seven months, his form has been brilliant.

"Now we have three tough away games left but I expect us to deliver the same character and football that we did against Westland to finish our season strongly."