'Park comfortable winners in the end.

Broughton Park, who were short of a number of influential players, still ran out comfortable 31 - 11 winners against local rivals Trafford MV. However it was not plain sailing as the Trafford side stifled a lot of Broughton Park's better work and were in the lead for three quarters of the game.

The first half belonged to Trafford as Park were unable to secure enough quality ball and were guilty of forcing the final pass in a promising move. This often resulted in Trafford being able to clear their lines and exert pressure of their own. After 10 mins.Trafford led by a converted penalty, kicked by their fly half, Edwards. Trafford grew in confidence and began to control the game and after 20 mins from a 5m line out, their forwards mauled the ball over the line for an unconverted try.

After 30mins. Parks captain for the day, Martin Kelly, hobbled off adding to the growing injury list. This meant a reshuffling of the backs with debutante Tom Birch moving to the wing and Stuart Coackley slotting into the centre along side the influential and experienced Simon Evans. The half ended with Park applying pressure but being unable to score as the Trafford defence, well marshalled by their No. 8 John Kevan, held firm.

The second half started with Park pounding the Trafford try line and it was Stuart Coackley, latching onto a superb delayed pass from Simon Evans, who scooted between the posts to open the scoring for BP. Shaun Stirrup converted the try and Park were now only a point behind.

The experienced Dave Rodgers and Ian Maclure now replaced debutantes Julian Callanan and Grant Little and it now seemed that Park would dominate. However it was Trafford who extended their lead with Edwards kicking a penalty. A further Park replacement saw Michael Hughes replace Mark Flynn. From a 22m lineout Park finally took the lead when Dave Rodgers snaffled the ball and fed Latham Parry who carried 4 defenders over the line with him to score his debut try. Five minutes later Matt Sheen picked up the ball from the base of a scrum and raced half the length of the field to score under the posts making the conversion for Stuart Coackley a mere formality.

With 5 minutes of the game left the Trafford resistance finally crumbled as first Dave Rodgers, who took a pass from Tom Foden who had made yet another break, strolled between the posts and then Mark Poole scored his trade mark try from a 5m lineout. Convincing in the end but the training on Tuesday and Thursday will need to be cranked up a notch as next weekend Park meet Leigh in the League which is Park's priority this season.