WILMSLOW Wolves head coach Rick Jones was almost lost for words.

Emotions were running high after his side scored two tries in the closing stages of Saturday's play-off clash with Driffield to secure promotion to the North Premier next season - a level of league rugby that Wilmslow have never played at before.

"They were all heroes," he said.

"Every one of the 19 players there played their part.

"They worked their socks off and I think deserved their success."

While scenes were of ecstatic jubilation for the visitors, in a kit borrowed off their hosts after accidentally leaving their own at home, home players were heartbroken as they lay prostate on the turf.

Jones acknowledged the occasion and the part Driffield had played, saying: "It was tremendous spectacle of rugby played by both teams up to the very last second.

"Hard but fair and in the right spirit. We were the lucky ones to win promotion but on the day the game of rugby was the real winner."

Wolves trailed 21-14 going into the closing stages, Jordan Ayrey having put them ahead initially and Ben Day levelling matters at 14-14 before Driffield got their noses in front for a second time.

Jones' men looked all but down and out but this breed of Wolves must be among the great escapologists.

They never throw in the towel.

Just as they had done at Northwich in March and then three weeks ago at Carlisle, they put together the phases and the passing with just about everybody contributing to eventually send flanker Seb Pemberton through the remnants of a shredded Driffield defence.

Dramatically, MacCallum's conversion from the touchline to tie it all up came off an upright on the wrong side.

Wolves were still 21-19 in arrears and would have to do it all again if there was sufficient time still on the clock.

A clean take of the restart was followed by the pack taking it on down the field, picking and driving faultlessly, then spinning it along the line, where it opened up on the right for James Coulthurst.

Never can Coulthurst have run harder and faster than he did in this last gasp of the game to secure the winning touchdown.

It was the last play of the game with the ball in hand, the referee's whistle sounding after MacCullum missed with the conversion.

From the dark ashes of defeat, Wolves had dragged themselves to the sun lit land beyond.

For as long as rugby is played at Wilmslow’s Memorial Ground, this will surely be among the annals of the club’s greatest moments.