WEST Bowling are back in the top-flight of the National Conference League for the first time in 20 years, as not even a mass absence derailed them on Saturday.
Fourteen of the squad were absent due to a wedding, but their replacements stepped up, and a thrilling 22-20 win at Clock Face Miners secured promotion.
And provided Bowling take at least a point from their home game against second-bottom Pilkington Recs this weekend, they will officially be crowned champions.
Head coach Dean Muir said: “We’ve been playing really well so it’s good to get promoted.
“We know we only need a point now to win the league and the lads are keen to do that.
“It would be nice to be champions and having a medal for that would feel significant.
“It would be the icing on the cake for all the work the players and everyone at the club has put in, especially with it being 20 years since we were last in the top-flight.”
Bowling have stormed to promotion with virtually nothing stopping them, winning 15 of their 16 league games so far.
Muir said: “At the start of the year, I said I’d like us to be competitive in every game, but I couldn’t have imagined we’d do this well.
“We’ve learned how to win ugly too and with 14 lads missing on Saturday, we did things like give Charlie Baker his debut at the age of 17.
“There’s a resilience and mentality within this group and they can grind out wins.
“You can talk about systems and processes but sometimes it can just be about the ability of the team to work together.”
That shared development has come in handy for a tight-knit squad, with Muir saying: “Probably 26 or 27 lads here have gone through academy, reserves and now first-team rugby league, and 15 or 16 were here as a Bowling junior.
“We also have Josh Lynam here as part of his contract with Keighley Cougars. He’s added a lot in the 10 times he’s played for us, and he always gives his all.
“Our oldest player is Richard Lumb at 31, so these lads all have at least two or three years left together, and some will have longer.
“We have such a good squad and have players who can play in multiple positions.
“I think it’s more important than ever to get to a good level of rugby league that you can play in two or three positions, to help the team out when needed.”
This is Muir’s first season in charge since taking over from long-serving Ryan Hunkin, who left to become Bradford Bulls’ head of youth.
Asked if he was proud of how the players had reacted to him coming in, Muir said: “I knew a few of the lads fortunately, which helped, but I play a different style to most.
“I sometimes like to play an expansive game and the lads bought into that, which was massively important.
“There were some questions in pre-season about if it would work, but we had some good wins and good performances with it early on and that set us up for the rest of the year.”
Elsewhere at the weekend, Drighlington are up to seventh in Division Three of the NCL after a shock 25-24 win over high-flying Ellenborough.
Brighouse Rangers sit third-bottom of the Yorkshire Men’s League Premier Division after losing 22-0 to King Cross Park.
Keighley Albion are second in Division One with games in hand, winning 26-10 at Nottingham Outlaws on Saturday.
Wibsey Warriors went back to the top of Division Two, having played a game more than second-placed Bradford Dudley Hill, after a walkover win against Farnley Falcons.
Wyke are no longer joint-bottom of Division Three after a thumping 42-16 win over Birstall Victoria.
Birkenshaw Blue Dogs stay top of Division 4B after destroying lowly King Cross Park Academy 70-12.
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