By Martin Morgan

Published at 16:02, Wednesday, 02 July 2008

FORMER Blackpool scrum-half Martin Gambles has left Whitehaven after failing to break through in to the first-team.

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Wigan-based Gambles joined the club in May and made just one first-team appearance off the bench, in the defeat at Batley. And he revealed that problems travelling to training had hastened his departure.

He said: “I enjoyed my time there, but I have a full-time job, and with living so far from Whitehaven, they weren’t keen on me leaving work at 3 o’clock or even 2.30.

“If I couldn’t make training, I couldn’t make the first-team. I learned a lot at Whitehaven. They have a lot of very good players and training was very good.”

Gambles, who played a handful of games in Haven’s high-flying reserve-grade, revealed he had no hard feeling over his departure.

“Ged Stokes is a good coach and a good bloke.” he added. “The club is on good hands.

“They have some really talented kids, and hopefully they can hold on to them.

“I imagine a few clubs are sniffing around them, but they are Whitehaven lads and want the club to do well.”

Stokes added: “It was pretty tough for him, but he did a job for us and gave us security when we needed cover.”

Haven have a string of half-back options, with recent recruit Tane Manihera proving up to the mark, youngster Gregg McNally breaking through this term and Carl Rudd already established.

Leroy Joe will soon return from injury, while Marc Bainbridge has started six matches at half-back this term, and ex-Workington Town Tyrone Dalton joined up last month.

Haven’s first-team have no match this weekend but some squad members are likely to turn out for the reserve-grade against visitors Hunslet on Saturday (2.30pm).

“They will be players we feel haven’t had enough field time,” explained Stokes, who is not unhappy that his first-team squad has a free weekend.

“It’s a very long year, and any time we have off is a godsend. With no game at the weekend, we’ll have a little more preparation time for Sheffield next week.

“It was a very hard, physical game on Sunday, and Dewsbury will be very pleased they don’t have a game this weekend.”

Haven came through the 24-16 win over the Rams without any injuries. Prop David Fatialofa, back from long-term injury, will feature against the Hawks this weekend.

A second former Blackpool player Steve Ormesher, who played under Stokes at Town, has joined Haven for the rest of the campaign, following his four-match trial at the Recre.

“I’ve never played in the First Division, and I thought it was a challenge for the rest of the season, to see if I could break in to the 17,” said the prop.

He made 16 appearances for Workington last term, scoring three tries, and returned to NL2 Blackpool this year, illness restricting him to just one appearance, against Leigh in the Northern Rail Cup.

D Coward, of Dent Road, Moresby Parks, scooped £10,000 in Sunday’s annual Pride of Five summer draw.

Pride of Five £100 winners: Mrs Birbeck, Victoria Road, Whitehaven, with ticket number 170; D Pullar, The Crescent, Bransty, 1,066; John Story, Whitehaven News, 471; P Bell, Hinnings Road, Distington, 407; R Flett, Westfield Drive, Workington, 2,774. 200 Club winners: £500 - G McCartney; £100 - AJ Lee; £50 each - J Wells, D Farish, K McCluskey, Phil & Geoff, K Shackley, P Shepherd, S Law, P Lucas. Second Edition: £500 - C Scurr; £100 - J Dixon; £50 each - J Graham, A Garroway, A Gibbens, D Armstrong, J Brannon, B Rogers, W Reay, A Freeman.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk