Time, Rotherham believe, is finally on their side. Saturday's heartening victory over London Irish, at Clifton Lane, coming after seven consecutive Premiership defeats, was seen by the club's coaching staff as a significant step forward. With seven weeks to consolidate and learn in European and domestic cup competitions, they now have the chance to catch up, physically and mentally, on their league rivals.
"We were only promoted in June and had to pull a side together by mid-August, few with Premiership experience, so it was a big ask," said Jim Kilfoyle. "But we are much more knowledgeable now and week by week we are learning to cope."
Trailing 15-3 until just before half-time, the hosts coped so well, in fact, that the one-paced Exiles could not contain their barnstorming response. "We simply cracked under the pressure," admitted Dick Best.
Geoff Wappett, another of Rotherham's coaching team, put it even more succinctly. "We have been coming off the field a little too fresh at the end. The lungs should be on fire, the legs like jelly.
"Today I think most of the lads felt like that." Besides Mike Umaga's second-minute penalty, the Irish absorbed the early pressure, took the initiative and when Paul Sackey squeezed over from a long pass by Jason Wright and Ellis followed suit in the pack's slipstream, an eighth defeat for the Yorkshiremen seemed on the cards.
Yet Umaga's second penalty just before the interval lifted their spirits and with a fresh front row drafted in, they found the attacking platform they had lacked.
Sustained pressure forced two further penalties for Umaga and, though Cunningham kicked his second to put the Irish 18-12 up, Rotherham's efforts were rewarded in the 75th minute when a superbly timed pass by Northey to Nigel Simpson saw the wing charge through the middle, and Barry Everett's attempted tackle, to score by the posts. Umaga's conversion raised the roof.
Scorers: Rotherham: Try: Simpson. Conversion: Umaga. Penalties: Umaga 4. London Irish: Tries: Sackey, Ellis. Conversion: Cunningham. Penalties: Cunningham 2.
ROTHERHAM: Umaga (capt); Naylor, Hassan, Northey, Simpson; Binns, Scully; Thorp (Bunting, h-t), Garnett (Johnson, h-t), Turner (Olver, 50min), Murphy, Kenworthy (Cook, 75), Greeff, Spence (Schmid, 55), Fea'unati.
LONDON IRISH: O'Shea (capt); Sackey, Bishop, Wright, Ezulike; Cunningham (Everett, 72), Ellis (Campbell, 77); Worsley (Hatley, 27), Kirke, Halford (Hardwick, 49), Strudwick, Delaney, Danagher (Cockle, 56), Dawson (Allan, 67), Sheasby.
Referee: S Lander (Liverpool).
