WHILE watching them achieve their promotion dream at the weekend, Northwich’s nightmare start to the season felt a lifetime ago.

Several players, such as Dave Farley, Chris Heywood, Chris James and Rick Smith, had embraced similarly at the final whistle when Blacks secured promotion from this division nine years earlier.

Back then, that team was about to enter the unknown.

This one feels more sturdy, certainly better skilled, to handle a return to step six.

At full time on Saturday, Martin Poste looked relieved.

He shook hands with every single one of his smiling players.

“I’m just glad to get the job done,” he said.

A party started shortly afterwards.

And there is plenty to celebrate about a side that has won the title in such style.

They have scored more than 300 points in the past half-dozen matches alone, and need a further 71 from their remaining games to reach 1,000 for the season.

As impressive is a defence that has conceded on average a dozen points each week.

No rival has collected as many bonus-point victories as they have.

While impressive, statistics can only tell part of any story.

More importantly, all but five of Saturday’s 18-man squad went to school in Northwich.

It is undeniable that Matthew Poste, Mike Bradshaw, James Reilly and Nick Baldwin, new recruits this term that started against Park, have added class – and know-how at delicate moments – to a talented core.

Of those, only Poste featured in the first meeting with Winnington back in September.

Reilly’s debut was delayed by an injury, while Bradshaw and Baldwin have only established themselves as regulars during the run-in.

And that is the secret, if there is one, to this side’s success – the beating heart has remained recognisably black and gold from the start.

James, at hooker, has had arguably his best season for the club, while full-back Joel Barber undoubtedly has.

Poste’s biggest achievement, alongside hiring Mike Donnan to inspire them to become fitter and stronger, has been to acknowledge the importance of Northwich’s identity.

“I’m not coming here to crack a lot of eggs,” he told the Guardian in the summer.

“My brief is to turn a competitive league side into one that can have a tilt at promotion.”

Reminded of that quote during a conversation on Monday, he laughed.

“I guess this old man was the right fit at the right time,” he quipped.

Northwich Guardian:

Chris James, in possession, holds off the attention of Andy Evans during Northwich's 61-5 success against Winnington Park on Saturday that clinched the title. Picture: DAVE GILLESPIE