Broughton Park 3rd XV faced a difficult challenge against league leaders Spartans on Saturday, eventually going down 20-64 despite showing plenty of character and battling until the very end.

The opening stages were closely fought, with both teams feeling each other out and much of the play taking place in the middle third of the pitch. Spartans broke the deadlock after 13 minutes, exploiting a gap in the Park defence before adding three further converted tries as the half progressed.

Park's cause wasn't helped when an influential flanker, who had been causing Spartans problems throughout the opening quarter, was forced off with a head injury. Despite falling 28 points behind, Park refused to let their heads drop and were rewarded just before half-time when a powerful carry from the forwards ended with the Park prop crashing over for a deserved try, making it 5-28 at the break.

Before reporting on the second half, an apology is needed from the photographer. Due to an operator error that left the camera shutter speed far too low, the photos from the opening ten minutes after half-time were unfortunately unusable. Frustratingly, that period coincided with some of Park's best rugby of the afternoon.

The home side came out with renewed energy, playing with pace and purpose. Strong forward play, intelligent kicking and excellent teamwork resulted in two quick tries that reduced the deficit and briefly put Spartans under real pressure.

However, the league leaders responded impressively. A try immediately after a restart shifted the momentum back in their favour before a series of quick scores demonstrated exactly why they sit at the top of the table. Spartans punished mistakes, took opportunities from quick penalties and played some excellent attacking rugby to extend their advantage.

To Park's credit, they continued to compete and never stopped looking for opportunities. Their efforts were rewarded with a late try shortly before the match was brought to an early conclusion following a serious injury, with the referee deciding to end proceedings before full time.

While the final score of 20-64 was disappointing, there were plenty of positives for Park to take away, particularly the spirit and quality shown during their second-half revival. Spartans were worthy winners and look every inch a title contender, but Park's determination and refusal to give in until the very end deserved plenty of credit.