"WAY is way off" says Abertillery chairman David Llewellyn after comments by Blackwood coach Nigel Way after his side's 45-20 win at Llanharan condemned Abertillery to Division One relegation.

Despite winning five of their last seven games, Abertillery drop to the Second Division and it has left the club shattered.

Way said he warned Abertillery five years ago that they needed to sort out their commercial structure and were now paying the price.

In response, Llewellyn said: "Normally I wouldn't react to comments publicly, but I feel it is necessary to put the record straight.

"Let's look at the cold facts: we have been relegated in 15th place, yet with two more wins we could have finished fifth.

"What would he have said then? "Undoubtedly, relegation will hit us hard in the pocket and we shall have to work even harder to get back.

"Unfortunately, crass, ill-informed and quite frankly unwarranted criticisms such as Nigel's do not help our cause.

"Perhaps he would be better advised to examine his own coaching abilities instead of criticising the financial acumen of this club.

"It is a harsh reality that success in professional rugby is allied to an area's economic prosperity, but we have worked hard to make ourselves stronger commercially through prudent management and innovation."

Abertillery director of rugby Malcolm Lewis said relegation had left his players "shattered and gutted", but he hopes to put Abertillery straight back into the First Division if he is asked to stay on.

He said: "It could be that the coaching staff aren't asked to continue next season. These days it's on results. If you don't deliver there's no guarantee you get asked back.

Lewis added the club would make every effort to persuade players to stay and return First Division rugby to the town.