STEVE Morris says the final game of the season, which Middlewich Town won to make sure they were promotion, felt like it would never end.

Harry Short’s second-half goal settled the outcome a close encounter with Windle Labour last Wednesday, sending the Witches up to third in Cheshire League One.

Their reward is a place back in the Premier Division four years after dropping down.

“It’s where we belong,” said the chairman.

“And I’m glad I don’t have to go through what I did last week again; when we went 2-1 down, I thought: ‘I can’t take this!’

“Fortunately, we turned it around after that.”

He told the Guardian that the club’s fourth season in the second tier had to be their last.

They were third the year after being relegated and fourth in their first campaign with Ross Speight and John O’Sullivan in joint charge.

That duo, joined since by Michael Welch, recovered from the blow of losing leading goal-scorer Sam Wakefield to Nantwich to steer Town to victories in seven of their last eight matches.

It left them a point adrift of runners-up Pilkington, and only three behind champions Daten.

Morris said: “I made it clear this was the year.

“They have worked to build what I think is a nice little team, and they’ve instilled discipline in the group.

“That’s a big thing for me; I want lads here that respect the club and its history.

“I feel they do, and when you’re all paddling in the same canoe you can get to where you want to.”

Middlewich won’t be happy just to make up the numbers next term either.

They finished inside the top two in the Premier Division for seven successive seasons from 2003, winning the title on three occasions.

“I’m confident we’ll be competitive,” added Morris.

“I think we’ll improve, and with a couple of signings in the pipeline there are plenty of reasons to look forward to it.”