SHOCK, horror! This was billed as a stroll in the park for Bream. Top versus bottom, but what a turn-up for the books.

"Of course we were hoping to win and there will be an inquest. I'm sure things will be put right and we will get back on course," said club spokesman Robert Turley.

At least the shock result has come at the right time. With two wins out of two, Bream were the only unbeaten team in the league.

"The result was a wake-up call," says Turley. "The start was held up because bottom of the league Spartans could not field a full side. "There was a bit of complacency on our part with people looking to score. Then we started to kick possession away and they ran back at us.

"Our defence was not as good as it should have been and Spartans scored late in the game to win the match."

Bream's lightning start gave no indication of what was to follow. In the first 20 minutes Spartans were put to the sword as new captain and livewire scrum-half Sean James scored the opening try. Andrew Cooper and Carl Rogers followed suit with Peter Pritchard adding two conversions.

But then came the fall from grace.

Poor tackling let Spartans back into the game and by half-time they had scored three tries, two of which were converted. It was all square at the interval.

Bream's Adrian Peacey put his team back in the lead but it was short-lived as Spartans kicked a penalty and then scored a converted try. Bream bounced back again, this time with a try by Clive Ryder, but Spartans had the last word and the biggest smiles with a late converted try.

Turley believes Bream will bounce back and be in contention for the league title but says the team requires greater strength in depth.

"We have lost a couple of players to Lydney including top try scorer Tia Lackubuka. As a club we are doing OK and the players have helped refurbish the clubhouse. We have a lot of old hands and field two senior sides every week but, like every club, we would welcome a few extra players," said Turley.

Training under coach Clive Ryder takes place every Tuesday and Thursday evenings.