The hard work starts now for Hanwood

Being a force to be reckoned with in the Flowfit Premier League is the new aim after the Shrewsbury villagers secured their return at the sixth attempt.

A 46-shot victory over wooden spoonists Archibald Worthington in the play-off final at Allscott on Friday was as convincing and clear-cut as the scoreline suggests.

Ten winners out of the 12 games produced a record winning margin for a play-off final – and a night of celebrations to cherish back at the Cock Inn, Hanwood, afterwards.

But the joint captains who have got Hanwood over the line to end a 19-year absence from the Premier – Mark Shore, Ash Wellings and Mark Parsons – know they can't afford to rest on their laurels.

A proud Shore, who last played in the top flight with his father Brian at Childs Ercall, said: "Now it's back to the drawing board to plot a competitive return to the Premier.

"This started seven years ago when Dave Burton told Phil Talbot 'I'm going to get the green in good shape, attract players to the club and get us back up.'

"I dedicate this achievement to those two stalwarts of the club.

"It's been a great team effort and the four who didn't play on Friday – Phil Talbot, Phil Lyttle, Steve France and David Payne – were a big part of it.

"I offer my heartfelt commiserations to AWC. We fully understand the pain of losing in such an important game and I sincerely hope they regroup and come back.

"But the whole of Hanwood BC are over the moon to have finally made it back to the Premier League.

"Our goal at the moment is to ensure we don't have to play on the first Friday of October next season."

Les Markham 12 Mark Parsons 21, John Digby 7 Greg Smith 21, Greg Fordham 21 Wayne Phillips 12, Rob Adams 15 Tony Hotchkiss 21.

John Paddington 16 Ash Wellings 21, Alan Ball 21 Russ Wellings 9, Ian MacDonald 12 Dave Burton 21, Dave Gourlay 15 Nick Davies 21.

Dave Ridgway 17 Danny Wornell 21, Matt Benbow 13 Mark Shore 21, Jack Hewitt 19 Carl Bowers 21, Steve Heath 17 Phil Price 21.

Talbot, treasurer of the Premier League between 1994 and 97, is now set to take charge of Hanwood's team that will remain in division one of the Tanners Shropshire League.

As for AWC, their best potential return route looks via the Market Drayton League.

But, as their top team in it has only just secured promotion to division one, that is going to take at least a couple of years.

Autumn Waterloo winner Greg Smith dented their hopes early on Friday with a 21-7 win.

Wayne Phillips scrambled to get 12 from 18-3 down against Greg Fordham, with Hanwood leading by 23 off the first four.

Alan Ball won 21-9 for the Whitchurch club in the middle, but they trailed by 28 going into the back four and, fittingly, it was the bubbly Shore who scored the chalk to secure Hanwood's triumph.