Featherstone 0, Whitehaven 29

HAVEN did all they could to stake their claim for the coveted eighth spot in the Championship and, after disappointing defeats in their previous three games, James Coyle’s men produced arguably the shock of the season so far.

It was a desperately poor performance from Featherstone but take nothing away from Haven, they would have pushed any side in the league with a performance like that.

Unfortunately for Coyle’s side they were pipped at the post by their local rivals Workington Town, after their 30-6 win over Hunslet Hawks and they were also pushed into 10th by Batley Bulldogs after their shock win over Dewsbury Rams.

Dion Aiye scored the first of two first-half tries just before the half-hour mark as he backed himself against three defenders to dive over the line next to the posts.

When he bagged his second on the back of a kick from prop forward Ben Davies there was a feeling that it may just be Haven’s evening.

Louis Jouffret, playing his final game for the club before returning to France, kicked both conversions to give the West Cumbrians a 12-0 lead at the break.

From then on, it was all Haven as they played with the slope in the second half. Featherstone threw everything they could at Haven’s line but were unable to break through and, after conceding a penalty, went further behind as Chris Taylor scored after a neat exchange with star man Grant Gore.

Gore was at the heart of everything Haven did and picked up four try assists as well as a drop goal on the hooter to top Haven’s superb win.

Captain Scott McAvoy was sent over by Gore and Haven then had two tries disallowed by referee Tom Crashley. There was more to come for the travelling Haven supporters to cheer as Jordan Burns scored in the corner with Gore having the final say of the afternoon with his one-pointer.

The opening exchanges were peppered with knock-ons and penalties, with Featherstone enjoying the better field position of the two sides.

But time and time again Haven’s defence held firm and Coyle’s side picked up the first points of the afternoon on 26 minutes.

Featherstone knocked on inside Haven’s half and on the last tackle of their next set Gore kicked a 40-20 to set Haven up 10 metres from the Rovers’ line. He then turned provider for Aiye as he passed inside to his half-back partner and the PNG star stepped two defenders before diving over the line to help give Haven a 6-0 lead.

Their next try, on the stroke of half-time, came as a result of the boot of front-rower Davies. There was a breakdown in communications on the last tackle and the prop found himself having to kick.

However, Sam Brooks was first to his deft chip and he managed an offload back to Davies who then found Aiye on his inside to put the half-back through for his second score of the game.

The hooter blew for half time and Jouffret converted for a 12-0 scoreline. Haven were cruising.

It was all Featherstone at the start of the second half as they stretched the Cumbrian’s defence but were let down by poor ball retention and knocked on.

They then conceded a penalty for offside as Jouffret collected a last-tackle kick and Haven went up the other end of the field, adding to their lead.

Gore and Taylor combined brilliantly to put the away side 18-0 up. The half-back passed outside to Taylor who immediately kicked the ball behind Featherstone’s defence back to Gore. Gore then simply passed the ball back to the centre behind a shell-shocked Rovers defence and crossed the line.

McAvoy then got in on the act as he was set up by Gore on the right-hand side following another penalty against Featherstone. Jouffret missed the conversion but Haven were 22-0 ahead.

They were denied twice by referee Tom Crashley as Craig Calvert was ruled to have knocked on as he put the ball down after backing himself down the left-hand side and prop forward Richie Beaumont was then held up over Featherstone’s line.

Another high tackle penalty by Featherstone, this time on returning utility back Ed Chamberlain, set Haven up again inside the Rovers’ 20. Gore provided the final pass to Burns as Haven created overlaps down the right-hand side giving the winger a simple finish.

Jouffret scored the final points of his short Haven career with a superb touchline conversion and Gore kicked a drop goal in the last 30 seconds of the game to cap what was a superb afternoon for Haven in West Yorkshire.

Featherstone prop forward Paul Wood was sin-binned in the last few minutes for a punch on Ben Davies, piling on the misery for the home side.

Match Facts

Haven: Jouffret, Burns, Taylor, Chamberlain, Calvert; Aiye, Gore; Beaumont, Newton, Chapelhow, McAvoy, Hepi, Brooks. Subs: Quinn, Davies, Chapelhow, Wilde.

Tries: Aiye 2, Taylor, McAvoy, Burns.

Goals: Jouffret 4/5.

Drop-goal: Gore.

Featherstone: Sharp, Blackmore, Cording, Milner, Hitchcox; Sykes, Cooke; Baldwinson, Ellis, Wood, Foster, Snitch, Spears. Subs: Bussey, Ormondroyd, Teasdale, James.

Sin bin: Paul Wood.

Half time: 12-0.

Referee: Tom Crashley.

Attendance: 1,305.

Star man: Grant Gore.