Western NSW Mariners FC skipper Adam Scimone summed up his side’s 2017 National Premier League 3 campaign pretty succinctly after a 4-1 loss to Sydney University at Jack Brabham on Sunday.

Daniel Barrett, Jovan Blagojevic, Conor Quilligan and Nathaniel Sharpley all netted for Sydney Uni, whilst Scimone scored the Mariners’ consolation goal.

While a three-goal loss is far from ideal to end the season, it at least means the Mariners don’t forgo the NPL3 status the club currently boasts.

And that’s a pleasing result for Scimone as the club looks to bounce back to a competitive unit in 2018.

“We wanted to get into the finals but we had too many opportunity gone begging,” he said looking back at 2017.

“Happy to secure the NPL3 status for next year, mathematically we could have been relegated, but results went our way.

“It’s a long season, 26 games, especially when you get a bit older, my age, you want to finish in finals and have a crack at a title.

“We’ll reassess where the club goes from here.”

Scimone said assuring the Mariners club leaps off the bottom of the ladder is getting the best players from Western to be part of the squad.

“It is difficult. I’m originally a Sydney boy, there’s more experienced players to pull from down there,” Scimone said. “There’s a lot of potential out here … we need to try and encourage local guys from Dubbo, Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee to trial.

“But it’s the best form of football in the area.”