SAM Hind pauses before responding to what could be perceived as a mischievous question, even though the answer is obvious to those on the outside.

After an unbeaten start to the season, which has yielded 16 goals in seven games, 1874 Northwich look like a team that’s enjoying themselves again.

“There’s less pressure, and that means it’s more fun,” says the 32-year-old.

“It wasn’t always a happy place to be last season; there was lots of talk about us winning the league, and we certainly felt the burden of that.

“But that’s not there now.”

That is not to say 1874 are settling for second best.

The departure of leading-scorer Tom Bailey, along with defensive duo Ryan Mitchell and Matty Russell, over the summer has seen the club left off most people’s list of potential title-winners.

An impressive opening to a new campaign, which has seen them eliminate Northwich Victoria and West Didsbury & Chorlton from the FA Cup as well as win two of their first three league games, has therefore surprised some observers.

Hind says: “Nobody is getting carried away.

“It’s probably true that having less expectation on us has been liberating, but the system we’re playing is more offensive and we’re being encouraged to attack.

“We’re creating chances, and that’s boosted confidence.

“I’m an attacker, so I prefer games that are end-to-end and have plenty of goals.”

Hind is a player every manager loves to call on.

He is versatile – and contributed 18 goals last season despite playing for most of it in an unfamiliar wide role – and consistent with it.

A cameo as a defensive midfielder, with regulars Matthew Woolley and Mark Jones both absent, during a 2-0 win against Padiham last weekend provided another example of his flexibility.

Co-managers Paul Bowyer and Wayne Goodison asked him to be captain for the same game.

“I’d rather play up front,” he laughs.

“I signed as a striker, but the club also signed Tom [Bailey] and Scott [McGowan] last summer and I’m not as prolific as them.

“I still worked hard – as a player I leave everything out on the field – and was really happy to get into double-figures.

“Saturday was an eye-opener though; I’m not used to having three or four guys running at me!

“It did make me appreciate how good the likes of Matt and Joner are though because they do that job so well.”

An FA Cup meeting with Mossley on Saturday provides a further opportunity for 1874 to demonstrate their progress.

Their higher-ranked hosts, comfortable victors during a pre-season friendly between the teams last month, will be expected to reach the next round.

Hind counters: “We’re big underdogs, and it will be a huge achievement if we get through.

“But I think it helps that we played them so recently – there will be no false sense of what’s coming our way.

“It wasn’t nice to lose the way we did, even if the result didn’t count, and we know now just how hard a task we have when we go back there this weekend.”