BRIDGWATER Town has made the decision to withdraw its reserve team from the Uhlsport Somerset County League, due to a "lack of available players".

The team were unable to fulfil their away fixture against Minehead AFC on November 9, and last Saturday's match at home to Nailsea & Tickenham Reserves was also postponed.

At that point the club commented: "The ongoing participation of our Reserve Team in the Somerset County League is currently under review by our Executive Committee."

Now the club has released a statement from chairman Adrian Byrne, on behalf of the executive committee.

It reads: "You may well have noticed that our last two reserve fixtures, against Minehead AFC and Nailsea and Tickenham Reserves, respectively, have had to be postponed.

"It seems to have become an open secret that, as a club, we struggled to fulfil these two fixtures due to a lack of available players.

"Unfortunately, we have recently lost a number of players through long-term injury whilst long-serving and younger players have taken the opportunity to secure first team football elsewhere.

"The Somerset County League have been patient, helpful and understanding of our situation in the last couple of weeks but now they rightly need us to confirm our Reserve Team’s position as a matter of urgency.

"After much deliberation and with a heavy heart, we, your executive committee, have decided there is no option other than to withdraw Bridgwater Town Reserves from the Somerset County League in the 2019/2020 season, with immediate effect.

"This has been a very difficult situation we have found ourselves in, but as your club committee we are tasked with making tough decisions.

"The Reserve team regularly postponing fixtures, with no real prospect of being able to fulfil them, would bring Bridgwater Town Football Club into disrepute.

"We understand many fans will be disappointed at this decision; we join you in that disappointment.

"However, this doesn’t mean Bridgwater Town Reserves won’t be resurrected at a later date."

Ahead of the decision to withdraw, Bridgwater Reserves sat in 12th place (out of 15 teams) in Division 1 of the County League, having won two, drawn one and lost four league games this season.