Five matches were significant on Northwich's journey to the South Lancs/Cheshire Division One title

But which games stood out along the way?

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

September 5: Northwich 16 Winnington Park 22

Martin Poste said it himself; losing to the neighbours on his home debut as director of rugby was jarring.

A disjointed, and at times edgy, Blacks let slip a lead they thought would be decisive when replacement Tom Bell slotted a penalty in added time.

However a penalty-try at the other end, following the restart, meant Park secured a first ever league victory at Moss Farm instead.

Before the teams’ second meeting seven days ago, Poste reminded his players of that afternoon.

To most of them, after 18 successive wins, it probably felt a lifetime ago.

But Sam Naylor told the Guardian this week that Northwich’s senior players savoured securing the title at Burrows Hill.

Winnington Park won a first battle with Northwich back in September

October 10: Northwich 59 Manchester 19

A defeat at leaders Liverpool St Helens the previous weekend left Northwich seventh in South Lancs/Cheshire Division One at kick off in this game, 11 points adrift of first place.

Worse still, Manchester arrived at Moss Farm buoyed by registering four wins from their first five fixtures.

They were buried under a nine-try avalanche, including three inside the opening quarter of an hour.

If Northwich’s campaign needed a catalyst after three defeats, this was it.

“We want to make a statement,” fly-half James Underhill told the Guardian in an interview before kick-off.

His teammates then proceeded to do exactly that.

Northwich full-back Joel Barber makes forward progress against Manchester

February 20: Douglas 6 Northwich 21

A winning sequence starting with that success against Manchester had reached a dozen games by the time Blacks made the short trip to Isle of Man.

They went there as league leaders, but feeling wary.

Douglas had won last season’s corresponding fixture, and boasted seven wins from nine home matches this time around.

On a sodden surface, they toiled until Richard Dale’s brace of tries put daylight between the teams.

Rather than attempt to run up a high score, they protected what they had with the help of debutant forward Michael Bradshaw, brother of Chris.

If there was doubt whether Northwich could win a tricky away game, this performance provided reassurance.

“Nothing was left to chance in our preparation, and we got it right on the field,” said Poste afterwards.

March 5: Northwich 77 Hoylake 0

In contrast to that day at Douglas, Northwich racked-up their biggest win of the season a fortnight later against Hoylake.

Beating the division’s back-markers was expected, but this display – on an afternoon when the club celebrated its 50th birthday – demonstrated everything to be admired about a side that had found the cohesion lacking in those early games.

When Richard Dale touched down the hosts’ 12th try of the contest with 11 minutes left, a bumper crowd buzzed with anticipation they might make it to a century of points.

That they didn’t was only a minor irritation.

Instead an unexpected defeat for title-rivals West Park, coincidentally at home to Douglas, left Northwich four points clear at the top of the table.

Hooker Chris James dodges an attempted tackle against Hoylake

March 19: Glossop 28 Northwich 39

If Northwich were going to trip up, then the smart money was on it happening on a cold afternoon in Derbyshire.

Glossop had not been beaten on their pitch in almost a year, and boasted an unblemished record there in the current campaign.

In fact, they had lost only once there since Blacks edged a close encounter between the sides in November 2014.

“We have to be ready for what they’re going to throw at us,” warned Poste in the run-up.

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

He was right, and a fiercely-contested game was only settled when Richard Dale touched down his third try of the contest late on.

Nick Baldwin’s extras put the visitors out of reach, and on course to a 15th successive win.

Northwich got the better of Glossop in a close encounter. Picture: KEN HOUGHTON