Promotion is just the start for Old Streetonians says skipper Harry Marson who believes they are more than ready to compete once again at the higher level.

Their return to London North West Three after a two-year stay in Herts Middlesex One was confirmed with a comprehensive 78-14 win at Hendon in their final league game.

They could yet clinch the title but Verulamians should take that with an expected victory in their last match at Old Actonians on Saturday.

Regardless of that though, Marson thinks the current crop of Onions is more than ready to take on the challenge on the higher league.

He said: “There’s still a core of that side but we didn’t have the same strength in depth then as we do now.

“We’ve really filled in some important positions, like nine and 10, our line-out has developed massively since we were last there and we have excellent finishers as well.

“So there’s maybe six or seven players that were there and know what [London North West Three] is about but the additions that we’ve got have changed us and I think that’s why we’re ready to sit at that level and compete.”

Against Hendon they showed that ruthlessness in attack associated with successful sides.

They bagged 12 tries; Doug Lawrence, Oli Smalley and Eoin Fitzpatrick, who also kicked nine conversions, all scored two while Doug Brown, Neil Spalding, Josh Parry, Colm Goode, Alex Thompson and Marson himself got one each.

But of those scores, half came from turnovers from the hosts, which were gobbled up and quickly turned around.

“We train to be cut-throat and fast and take any opportunities on a nice fast track,” he said.

“We’ve got a really fast, athletic team and as soon as you get an opposition with their heads down then we can just open up and the scoreline says that.

“We’re a bit disappointed to concede a couple of tries and that’s something we’ll be looking to improve before our promotion and something we will be working on heavily in pre-season.”

Their league campaign may have come to an end but they are looking to finish the season on an even bigger high when they face Hillingdon Abbots in a repeat of last year’s Federation Vase, which they won.

“Hopefully we’ll retain that and finish the season with some silverware,” added Marson.