NORTHWICH resume their bid to win the league tomorrow, Saturday, as front-runners – a position they did not expect to be in with seven matches left.

Successive defeats for previous leaders West Park, the latest at Sefton last weekend, leaves Blacks two points clear at the South Lancs/Cheshire Division One summit.

Their target is to extend a winning run to 15 matches.

“Nothing has changed,” insisted director of rugby Martin Poste.

“They have still to play us at our place, so have their destiny in their hands.

“But we’re top of the table now and my players are absolutely buzzing about that – they’re probably looking at it every night even though I’ve told them they shouldn’t be.”

Northwich face possibly their toughest test of the season so far at Glossop tomorrow, kick off 3pm.

The hosts have won all of their league matches on home turf this term, and will be out to avenge a 36-5 defeat at Moss Farm in November.

After seven victories in eight games since the turn of the year, they have risen to fourth in the table.

Poste said: “We’ve a plan, and need to ensure we execute it.

“It’s at moments like this that the pragmatist inside you comes out; we have to come back from there with something – that’s all we should be thinking about.

“Our feet need to be on the floor and we have to be mentally ready for what Glossop are going to throw at us – particularly from lineouts and at the breakdown.

“They’ll want to upset us, no doubt about it.”

Chris Bradshaw (eye) will not feature for Northwich, who hammered Hoylake 77-0 last time out, after sustaining an injury in training last week.

West Park visit the back-markers this weekend.