WINNINGTON Park ensured they will be promoted as champions following a 47-10 success at Liverpool Collegiate last weekend.

A 24th successive league win secured first place for Matt Farr's men in South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two.

But which of those were most important?

We’ve picked five we feel were crucial in defining a title-winning campaign:

September 23: Winnington Park 7-5 Heaton Moor

Seems almost daft to say as much now, but Park’s winning run was almost over before it had really begun.

Both teams had prevailed in their opening three games, and were tipped to be season-long rivals for a promotion place.

New coach Matt Farr turned to old hands to rescue his side, sending on Will Burgess, Joe Robins and Harry Stubbs from the bench after conceding early.

The latter delivered, and from a trademark charge to the line scored a try that turned around the contest with time running out.

October 28: Winnington Park 36-33 Liverpool Collegiate

The first of Park’s three wins against opponents that would eventually finish as runners-up was perhaps the most precious.

A swift start yielded tries for Matt Treacy, Shaun Underdown and Lee Allmark – emphasising a gap between the sides that was wider than the final score suggests.

However Liverpool refused to give up, and Winnington gave evidence of a growing maturity when they resisted late pressure after Jack Williams had been sent to the sin bin.

It is a game they would have lost last term.

Northwich Guardian:

Winnington Park's togetherness showed during a close encounter with Liverpool Collegiate at Burrows Hill after which they prevailed 36-33

January 27: Orrell 10-19 Winnington Park

Shaun Underdown’s try after the interval was the catalyst for a recovery from 10-0 down in challenging conditions.

However their control did not lead to Orrell’s resistance being broken until the final 10 minutes when Harry Stubbs – the right man for big moments – claimed a brace of scores for Winnington.

“We found a way,” reflected Farr afterwards.

And that’s the sign of a good team.

March 31: Aspull 19-22 Winnington Park

In a campaign with examples of escaping against the odds after being cornered, this will perhaps be remembered most fondly.

Aspull, out of the title-race but smarting from a hiding at Burrows Hill seven days earlier, established a deserved 19-0 lead by the break.

This time a try from captain Dave Cross signalled the start of a comeback, aided in part by a loss of discipline from their hosts who had a player dismissed.

Aspull resisted though, and only a last-gasp try from Danny Williams – who contorted his body to touch down – rescued the visitors.

April 18: Port Sunlight 3-116 Winnington Park

While setting a club record for points scored in a first-team game attracted immediate attention, this victory was significant for two other reasons.

First, it ensured Park would finish in a promotion position – their objective for the campaign.

However it was also a marker of their improvement after losing the corresponding fixture last season despite leading 15-0 at half-time.

Established now is a ruthless streak, and they showed no mercy by running in 17 tries to dispatch their hosts.

Coincidentally, the record was broken seven days later when they scored 128 points in 60 minutes.

Northwich Guardian:

Stand-off Cameron Flanagan is tackled by an opponent during Winnington Park's meeting with Port Sunlight last month. Picture: John Pickering