WAYNE Goodison has said reflections on 1874 Northwich’s season should be wholly positive, although he admits their run-in has been much harder than he expected.

A 1-1 draw with Winsford United was their 69th game of the campaign, and they have played 29 of those since the start of March.

“It’s been much more difficult than I thought it would be,” admitted the co-manager.

“You try to minimise the physical and mental drain on everybody as best you can, but the reality throws up so many obstacles along the way – injuries, work commitments and travel logistics.

“It’s only when you step back and study what we’ve done that you think ‘wow', that’s some shift.

“We brought in extra players to help get us through, and we only just had enough still standing to face Winsford.”

1874 end the campaign placed seventh in the North West Counties League’s top-flight.

If that is below expectation, then they can cite mitigating factors, including a record run in both the FA Cup and FA Vase – the latter taking them to the semi-finals and the brink of an appearance at Wembley.

They have played 25 times in knockout competitions – more than half a league programme.

Goodison said: “There’s probably been two parts to our season, and the final 20 games should be put in isolation.

“We know why results have gone against us, and up until March there is a totally different outlook when it comes to analysing what we’ve done.

“These lads were in the bottom-half of the table when we started this run, and we weren’t sure which scenario would play out.

“The hope of course is you get on a roll and the momentum from that takes us to second place – there were enough points available to do that.

“We’ve fallen short, but there’s no reason to be disappointed.

“Almost every club in the league would swap places with us to have had a crack at getting to Wembley, and when you look at what that meant to the players and the supporters then you wouldn’t change anything.”

And now, a rest.

Well, until next month that is when a first pre-season session is scheduled.

Goodison added: “There’s relief to have reached the finish, and part of me is frustrated we’ve gone into some games thinking ‘we’ve just got to get through this’.

“When you want to be competitive, that grates.

“But I’m sure it won’t be long before we miss it!”