Published at 15:48, Wednesday, 10 March 2010

WHITEHAVEN eventually marched into Round Four of the Carnegie Challenge Cup with a seven-try victory over plucky amateurs Leigh Miners Rangers, although it took the Recre boys some time to get going.

Some games between amateur and professional opposition are dull one sided aff-airs. This was neither, and became even more of a challenge for Haven thanks to some interesting rule interpretations around the ruck.

Whitehaven finally managed to overcome this to claim their place although it may have come at a price as Derry Eilbeck, Danny Barker and Ryan MacDonald all left the field with injuries during the game.

Miners started off well with quick-fire tries from Scott O’Brien and Ryan Smith while goal-kicker Tom Bradbury potted both goals and a penalty for a shock 14-0 advantage after 17 minutes.

It was no more than the amateurs deserved, although you sensed the tide was changing when they fluffed the restart and Haven debutant Scott George forced a drop out.

Carl Rudd and Danny Barker opened the defence a couple of times without success while try poacher Craig Calvert was also stopped.

Things were building for Whitehaven and when Calvert took a lovely cut-out ball from Scott George to fly over in the corner after 29 minutes, it sparked a golden period that brought four tries and 22 points without reply.

The upturn coincided with Richard Farrer’s introduction and with him and Spencer Miller working well it was Graeme Mattinson who took advantage of a quick play-the-ball to ground through a melee of players.

Carl Rudd hit the first of six goals and his next conversion after a 10-metre raid by Marc Jackson finally edged Haven in front.

Before the half-time hooter, Whitehaven scored again when Reece Fox trailed Carl Sice and collected his offload to go over. Rudd’s goal handed Haven an eight point advantage at half-time but Miners struck after seven minutes of the second half when Smith went in for his second try.

Sice was forced to make a couple of try saving tackles while Miners county player Leon Brennan couldn’t find the right pass that would have brought Smith his hat-trick.

Haven rode their luck, particularly with Miners failing to find touch from three penalties, one of which was turned into a penalty by Sice.

It became attrition rugby at it’s best with Miners rarely venturing beyond halfway with ball in hand. Haven on the other hand returned to basics – solid completions and a kick chase served them well and frustrated Leigh Miners.

Miners eventually cracked six minutes from time when Farrer rumbled through the middle to score. Within two minutes he was followed by Sice, at the start of his second spell with Haven, who linked with Mattinson and Jackson for a classic fullback’s score. Rudd struck his fifth goal and it was 34-20.

Haven piled forward and despite some good defence, they forced through for another try at the end when Rudd and George worked the left side for stand-in centre Dexter Miller to show intelligence to let natural momentum take him over the line for his first try of the season.

Rudd completed the scoring with his sixth goal to put Haven through.

Whitehaven: Carl Sice, Stephen Dawes, Reece Fox, Derry Eilbeck, Craig Calvert; Carl Rudd, Scott George; Ryan McDonald, Graeme Mattinson, Howard Hill, Spencer Miller, Dexter Miller, Danny Barker.

Subs: Marc Jackson, Richard Farrer, Andy Thornley, David Ford.

Tries: Calvert 1, Mattinson 1, Jackson 1, Fox 1, Farrer 1, Sice 1, D. Miller 1.

Goals: Carl Rudd 6/7.

Leigh Miners Rangers: Jonny Youds, Daryl Flannery, Leon Brennan, Keiron Dainty, Tom Bradbury; Scott O’Brien, Ryan Smith; Dean Balmer, Danny Jones, Darryl Kay, Luke Murfin, Aaron Gorton.

Subs: James Muir, Danny Jackson, Tom Dawson, Tom Eckersley.

Tries: O’Brien 1, Smith 2.

Goals: Bradbury 4/4.

Attendance: 491.

Star Man: Carl Sice.

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