DAVID Dunn appeared a relieved man after the final whistle at North Hinksey.

Not because his side had edged a narrow victory. Not because there was anything to play for in this final fixture of a historic campaign.

But because he knows his heroic players will, in September, finally be rewarded for their endeavours with a genuine test on the field.

Dunn would never admit it, but while winning becomes a habit, it can also become tiresome.

Aside from defeats against title rivals Chinnor and Redingensians, Lions have simply walked this league.

They have been the strongest, the fittest, the fastest and the biggest scorers all season. Their awe-inspiring plus-1,000 points difference tells the whole story of a side more than ready for a step up in class.

For Dunn, meanwhile, this achievement has been more than six years in the making – not that he ever doubted it would happen.

Lions’ much publicised five-year plan to reach the promised land of the National League might have taken 12 months longer than scheduled, but that is 12 months’ more experience and 12 months’ more togetherness for a squad that has responded to tragedy and grief in the best way possible: By becoming winners.

And they have become winners over time, improving as players and as leaders.

It should not be forgotten that many of Dunn’s squad have been with the club since the dark old days of Southern Counties South, where thoughts of lining up in National Two would have been a laughable suggestion after one too many drinks in the Chapel Gate bar.

Sam Hardcastle has progressed from those times to become one of the finest scrum-halves in the amateur game, while the likes of James Flynn, Dan Cawley, Tim Seward and captain Alan Manning were part of the South West Two East play-off winning side of 2007.

Karim Lynch, who bagged two tries in Oxfordshire, was plying his trade at Wimborne until recently, while many of Dunn’s squad, including debutant Tom Westlake, have come through the club’s blossoming youth set-up.

The key for Dunn now, though, will be combining those ‘club’ principles with additions of experience and quality to complement what he already has at his disposal.

It will be an interesting summer for Dunn, although what he saw on Saturday, in tricky conditions, would have provided him with plenty of optimism ahead of life in the fourth tier.

After being caught cold and conceding an early try, it was one-way traffic to the backdrop of noise coming from the nearby A34.

Jack Hennings was first to dive over, but Dan Pollard failed with the conversion attempt in a swirling wind.

Pollard made amends moments later, however, when he burst through a gaping hole in the midfield to make the score 10-5. Surprisingly, though, given his exploits with the boot this season, the fly-half missed his second conversion attempt.

Superb work from Callum Forrest, majestic all afternoon in the Lions line-out, helped Hennings touch down for his second try of the afternoon midway through the opening period, but bad luck came in threes for Pollard with his kick again sailing wide.

Pollard, though, found his range to slot over the extras following tries from Gavin Hart and Dan Connolly, before Lynch went over in the corner for the try of the game on the stroke of half-time.

The Lions full-back exchanged quick passes with the impressive Flynn before tumbling over the line in the corner.

Pollard converted and the game was won at the break with the score 36-5.

Lynch continued his efforts after the restart when he scored his second try after a patient build-up from the visitors, before replacement Cawley took advantage of a catalogue of defensive howlers from the home side to bring up Lions’ half-century.

To Quins’ credit, they dug deep to stop Dunn’s men from running riot, with only the assured Westlake adding to the try-count late on.

Pollard, meanwhile, was back to his old self, adding maximum second-half extras.

And then came the final whistle at the end of a campaign that will go down in the record books.

The real work and the real test, though, will start in September. And this remarkable team certainly deserves it.

Lions: K Lynch, Stewart, Connolly, Edwards, Flynn (Westlake, 53), Pollard, Hardcastle; Tarrant, Wilford, Manning, Seward, Forrest (Collier, 59), Hughes, Hennings (Cawley, 53), Hart.

Tries: Hennings (2), Lynch (2), Connolly, Pollard, Westlake, Cawley, Hart.

Conv: Pollard (6).

Referee: Chris Bartlett.