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Chorley’s rise to the summit of the Northern Premier League this season has been all about consistency, reckons committee man Alex Howarth.

The first-team batsman, who has found himself in the second team this season due to the strong competition for places at Windsor Park, believes Chorley have possessed the ability to compete with the best sides for many years on their day.

However, inconsistency has been their Achilles heel – that is until this summer.

With just five games of the season left to play, Andrew Holdsworth’s men are 14 points clear of second-placed Garstang and are so close to ending the club’s long 43-year wait to lift the league title.

"I think it’s been coming for a while to be honest,” said Howarth.

"We have had a good young team for quite a while if I am honest.

"Those players have matured and they have been bolstered by a couple of really good young players coming in at the top of the order.

"Equally, we have still got the wily Ian Oakes at age 50-plus still doing his thing in the first team with the ball.

Chorley professional Roshen Silva (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

"Andy, the captain, has been banging on to us for years about stringing performances together and finding that consistency.

"I think Roshen Silva, the professional, has just held us together as a batting line-up.

"He’ still not scored a 100 yet but he’s there more or less every week with 60 or 70 not out."

After comprehensively outplaying Blackpool last weekend, Chorley travel to St Annes this weekend.

They also know that Garstang play third-placed Kendal – a match which potentially could make the title race a two-horse race.

"We can’t be complacent over the final few weeks,” said Howarth.

"I think it’s helped that we have players in the second team pushing on.

"Players have been dropped – people like myself who has had a season in the seconds, I’ve played a lot of first-team cricket.

“There’s people like Jimmy Lee, Joseph Tiffin and Kyle Dixon in the seconds who can come into the first team and do a decent job if and when required.”

Fixtures: Northern League – Blackpool v Penrith, Fleetwood v Eccleston, Kendal v Garstang, Leyland v Fulwood & Broughton, Longridge v Netherfield, St Annes v Chorley.

Palace Shield – Blackpool v Penrith, Fleetwood v Eccleston, Kendal v Garstang, Leyland v Fulwood & Broughton, Longridge v Netherfield, St Annes v Chorley.

Consistency has been the key to Chorley’s success this year