WHITEHAVEN overcame a nightmare start to run out deserved 42-30 winners against Dewsbury Rams.

Haven found themselves 10-0 down after as many minutes thanks to two tries from Rams centre Shane Grady but James Coyle’s side hit back with scores from Craig Calvert, Scott McAvoy and Dion Aiye to take an 18-10 lead into the break.

The Rams then regained the lead immediately after half time thanks to tries from Joel Farrell and Matty Wildie before McAvoy answered with his second of the afternoon to put Haven 24-20 up.

Karl Pryce scored for Dewsbury with their next possession to level the scores but Haven then scored three tries to put the game beyond the Rams’ reach.

Calvert scored a second and Thomas Coyle, back in the starting line-up after missing last week’s game, then set up Stephen Fox and Grant Gore after breaking through the tired Rams’ defensive line.

Dalton Grant scored for the hosts after the final hooter sounded but it proved nothing more than a consolation as Haven picked up their second Super 8s win.

At the start of the game, it was all Dewsbury after forcing two goal-line dropouts and winning two penalties. Haven gave away a penalty for a high tackle immediately after one dropout to give the Rams possession just 20 metres from their line.

On the last tackle Dewsbury playmaker Anthony Thackeray chipped over to the corner and Jessie Joe Parker swatted at the ball only to lose possession and Grady dropped on the loose ball in the in-goal area for a 4-0 lead after seven minutes.

Another penalty conceded immediately after the restart led to Dewsbury’s second try. The Rams rumbled up the middle of the field and then worked the ball out to the right for Grady who went through a gap in Haven’s defence for his second of the afternoon.

Haven gradually started to get back into the game and defended their line well despite giving away more penalties. They forced a knock on from Stephen Nash on his 20 metre line and then won a penalty themselves inside Dewsbury’s 10 for interference.

Two tackles later Dion Aiye delayed a pass to McAvoy down the left-hand side and the Haven captain went through a gap to score on his return to the side and bring Haven back to within four points at 10-6.

Haven then took the lead after another penalty in their favour. They found more joy down the left hand side as Ed Chamberlain threw out a shoot pass to Calvert on the wing and the Haven stalwart was left with an easy put-down in the corner.

Chamberlain then converted from the touchline to give Haven an unlikely 12-10 lead after half an hour.

Haven’s third try of the afternoon again came down the left-hand side as they managed to break down Dewsbury’s defence with some neat passing.

Aiye was played in down the left and he managed to shrug off a tackle before dropping over the line to help give Haven an eight-point lead at half time.

However, two tries in seven minutes after the restart put Dewsbury back in front. First, Newton kicked out on the full on the last tackle to give the Rams the ball inside Haven’s half. They went on to score through Farrell who crashed over from dummy-half.

With their next possession they moved the ball across the line down the left-hand side and Pryce made a break. He was then backed up by Wildie who he found on his inside and the Rams half-back had the legs to beat Gore and score under the posts. Dale Morton then converted to put the Rams back in front at 20-18.

Haven immediately hit back to go in front after a break from Gore up the middle of the field. He found McAvoy in support who then had the legs to beat his defender and he crossed the line for his second try.

It was a real end-to-end contest as the Rams drew level with try from Pryce who managed to beat Burns in the air to grab another kick from Thackeray and crash down with the ball in the in-goal area.

Morton missed his third conversion of the day as the sides were level at 24-24 with 20 minutes to go.

From then-on it was all Whitehaven as they went on to score 18 further points to secure their second Super 8s win.

Calvert was sent over in the corner after a neat move from a scrum immediately after Pryce’s try to put Haven ahead once again.

Thomas Coyle was then instrumental in the scoring of the next two tries as he made two line breaks to set up team-mates Fox and Gore who backed him up to score as Haven found gaps in Dewsbury’s defence.

Grant scored from a Thackeray kick after the final hooter but the result means that Haven reduce the gap with Workington Town in the race for fourth place to just a single point with four games left to play.

Match Facts

Haven: Chamberlain, Burns, Taylor, Parker, Calvert; Aiye, Gore; Fox, Coyle, Beaumont, McAvoy, Hepi, Brooks. Subs: Newton, Davies, Chapelhow, Holliday.

Tries: McAvoy 2, Calvert 2, Aiye, Fox, Gore.

Goals: Chamberlain 7/7.

Dewsbury: Fieldhouse, Morton, Pryce, Grady, Grant; Wildie, Thackeray; Hepworth, Conroy, Aizue, Spicer, Adamson, Brown. Subs: Jackson, Nash, Farrell, Crookes.

Tries: Grady 2, Farrell, Wildie, Pryce, Grant.

Goals: Morton 2/5, Grady 1/1.

HT: 18-10.

Attendance: 709.

Penalties: 4-8.

Referee: T Crashley.

Star man: Thomas Coyle.