North 2 West, 15th March 2008

Leigh 12 v 7 Broughton Park

'Park handled the tricky Leigh full back well but unfortunately after he had scored two tries.

His first try came soon after the kick-off when Leigh retained the ball for a couple of phases and spun it out along the line to the full back who ghosted through the 'Park defence without a finger being laid upon him to score under the posts. 7 - 0 after 2 minutes.

20 minutes later the 'Park full back kicked out of defence for the Leigh full back to gather the ball, the 'Park winger and flanker both took the dummy giving the Leigh full-back room to send a well placed kick ahead which he gathered to score near the posts. 12 - 0 after 23 minutes.

'Park were struggling against the wind to get out of their own half. The atrocious pitch conditions made all defensive efforts to get out of their own half difficult but they held out with the occasional forays into the Leigh half until half-time. 12 - 0

With the wind in the 2nd half 'Park had a driven maul which Leigh deliberately pulled down and the referee awarded a penalty try which was converted to make the score 12 - 7 after 2 minutes of the 2nd half.

Leigh were finding it just as difficult to get out of their own half against the wind and atrocious foot conditions. They did mount the odd foray into the 'Park half and from one of these the 'Park winger Pat Hurley intercepted a pass but was caught just before the line.

It wasn't going to be 'Park's day when just on full time the ball was spun out with the line wide open but the pass was knocked on with the line beckoning and the final chance gone.

'Park played Leigh with a below strength teams at home and this game unfortunately was no different. Tighthead prop Guy Barlow cried off with the flu, hooker Andy Wilson was injured last week, wing forward Sam Fuller is recovering from a broken nose and backs Tom Mapp and Joe Kennedy were missing. However, you go with what you have got and the lads who came in played their hearts out and didn't let anyone down.

One day 'Park will beat Leigh. One day...

On the plus side. Stockport have to go to Leigh and Chester, so they may drop points.