NORTHWICH started life at a higher level in the same way they ended it at a lower one – as winners.

And if Blacks wanted to make a statement on their return to North One West after four years away, they picked a perfect place to do it.

Never before had they won at Powderhouse Lane.

That they ended that wait was due in large part to an impressive defensive display.

The men from Moss Farm broke through after 15 minutes, when Sam Naylor picked up the ball after a scrum wheeled to one side.

He exploited a gap in the hosts’ defence to score between the sticks.

Nick Baldwin, preferred at fly-half to James Underhill, converted.

With set pieces evenly-contested, the breakdown proved to be key.  

And new recruit Sean Phillips made the difference for Northwich, continually stealing back possession.

Tom Slater kicked a penalty to reduce Vale of Lune’s arrears, only for their guests to reply when Phillips drove over after scrum-half Matthew Poste took a quick tap.

Baldwin added the extras to make it 14-3 at the interval.

And Northwich added to their advantage on 50 minutes, when wing Bud Skinkis dotted down a third try after they moved the ball wide following a lineout deep inside the Lancaster outfit’s territory.

Baldwin was on target again from the resulting conversion.

Vale of Lune replied quickly, creating a strong maul after winning a lineout close to their opponents’ line.

Despite their best efforts, Blacks could not prevent captain Sam Walbank from crossing the whitewash.

The extras went begging, setting up a tense final half-hour.

Director of rugby Martin Poste sent on former Sheffield Tigers back Will Du Randt for his debut, and he made an immediate impact.

No further score followed for either side, with Naylor and Richard Dale making timely tackles to snuff out any hope their hosts had of staging a comeback.

Northwich | Phillips, James, Hulbert, Farley, Dudley, Heywood, English, Naylor, Poste, Baldwin, Skinkis, Reilly, Richard Dale, Houghton, Barber Replacements Underhill, Vaughan, Du Randt Tries Naylor, Phillips, Skinkis Cons Baldwin (3)

Additional reporting by Steve Wood