BACK in 2002, the coaching duo of Steve Barber and Dai Lynch took the reins at Division Six side Bargoed with a simple instruction: don't worry about titles, just make us play better. After securing a place in the Principality Premiership it's fair to say it is mission accomplished.

The Blues' 17-8 victory over promotion rivals Pontypool Park last Saturday secured a spot in the top four and place in the revamped (and ring-fenced for three seasons)16-team top flight.

It was an understandable emotional occasion for the management duo, especially as the club were denied a Premiership place in 2015 when they romped to the Championship title with 25 wins from 26 games but didn't have the required criteria for promotion.

"I've been head coach for 14 years and to reach the Premiership is a massive achievement," said Barber, whose team will enjoy a party atmosphere at Bargoed Park when they host Glynneath on Saturday.

"When I took the job on with Dai we were told we didn't have to win Division Six, just improve the standard of rugby… I think we've done that!

"We've done it with a team of local boys and have got good youth systems that have brought through the likes of (former Dragons half-backs) Jonathan Evans and Steffan Jones.

"There are those that like to throw money about but that hasn't been the way for Bargoed, and that will be the same next season. I'd think we will bring in four or five players but the boys that have got us here deserve their moment in the sun next season.

"We've shown over the years that we are good enough by knocking Aberavon (in 2012) and Bridgend (in 2013) out of the Swalec Cup but now we need to compete consistently.

"Bargoed have never gone into a league not wanting to be top and that won't change in the Premiership."

Promotion looked a long shot when Bargoed suffered a fifth loss of the campaign at Swansea in January. It looked as though the anguish of being denied promotion when romping to the title – a decision that saved Newport's top-flight status – had taken its toll.

However, they have won every game since, an 11-game winning streak that shows the spirit of the squad, according to Barber.

"People will never believe how gutting it was last year," he said. "We didn't just win the league but we smashed it by playing a brilliant brand of rugby.

"To try and lift the boys after they had been denied promotion and to lose the likes of Josh Prosser to Cross Keys and Geraint Edmonds to Bedwas was tough.

"It was heart-breaking, and you could see all summer that it had hit everyone hard, but we just had to keep on going.

"We had a slow start to the season but the boys got their heads back on it and we've got our rewards after going on a brilliant run."

Bargoed will secure third spot behind Merthyr and Swansea if they avoid defeat to Glynneath on Saturday.

Fourth-placed Pontypool will be on the brink of three seasons in the Championship if RGC 1404 avoid a banana skin at Cardiff Met as the north Walians finish their season at one-from-bottom Glynneath.