Last updated at 09:27, Thursday, 17 September 2009

HAVEN showed huge spirit but enjoyed little luck in the Championship play-off eliminator.

It was bad enough to have to play just four days after a stern test against Leigh, while Widnes enjoyed an 18-day break, to meet the demands of television.

But if the game had not been shown live on Sky Sports, and ref Ronnie Laughton had been unable to refer Derry Eilbeck’s first-half effort in the corner, upstairs to the video ref, the try would surely have stood, and Haven would have been 22-4 ahead with the conversion attempt to follow.

As it was, the try was ruled out for an obstruction, and the rest is history.

Even a bonus point at Leigh would have earned Haven a home draw against the Vikings, and the result would in all likelihood have been reversed.

They had only themselves to blame for the capitulation against the Centurions, though the illness that swept through the camp in the lead-up to the game could not have helped.

Their mental attitude at Widnes was massively improved and they showed their true colours, with Graeme Mattinson and Leroy Joe the game’s top performers, with an honourable mention also going to Widnes winger Paddy Flynn.

Haven started strongly and were ahead within three minutes after Spencer Miller forced an error from Mark Smith at dummy-half. Leroy Joe stepped inside two tacklers after shaping to pass, and touched down next to the sticks, Carl Rudd converting.

Joe produced a captain’s knock throughout, belying his veteran status once again with another fantastic effort.

Widnes hit back within four minutes, Eilbeck unable to check Shane Grady’s momentum, with the centre crossing out wide.

But it was Haven who had the initiative, earning repeat sets on the back of two Joe kicks. And after Mattinson worked wonders with a surging burst through the line, Rob Jackson was on hand to score.

Haven survived a video ref decision after Recre old boy Richard Fletcher claimed to have got his hand to a kick over the visitors’ line.

Ged Stokes’ troops were playing with confidence, and the strength of Kyle Amor told on 24 minutes, the prop crashing on to Rudd’s dummy-half pass to score between the sticks. Rudd’s third conversion handed his side a handy 18-4 lead.

They might have put the game beyond the Vikings had Eilbeck’s later try stood. Back-rower Reece Fox, on debut, forced the ball out of a two-man tackle and Scott McAvoy put Eilbeck in at the corner, only for the try to be chalked off for an infringement in back play.

Sub Scott Yates came close to getting Widnes back in the game with a fine break down the left, only for full-back Craig Benson to deny him with a timely tackle.

Widnes made little impact down the middle but looked good when they spread the play wide, and from one such move they hit back.

Anthony Thackeray chipped over for Gavin Dodd and he put Hartley over for an unconverted try.

Haven suffered a serious blow in the closing seconds of the half when Spencer Miller, one of their most reliable defenders, was sin-binned for persistent offside.

The Cumbrians were good value for their 18-8 half-time lead, though Widnes started the second period strongly.

Joe pulled off a magnificent tackle to deny Thackeray, and more first-rate defence was on show after Marc Jackson was ruled to have knocked on when stripping the ball in the shadow of his posts.

It was not all one-way traffic, however, and Rudd was held up over the Vikings’ line.

But Haven were caught offside on the next set, and dissent saw them marched back a further 10 metres, to set up another Widnes attack.

Hartley scythed through a gaping defensive hole off Mark Smith’s pass, and Hartley’s conversion drew them within four points.

Widnes started to turn the screw, though Haven refused to yield, and when the ball was fed to Craig Calvert deep in his own half, it took the excellent Paddy Flynn to shackle him around the half-way line.

Calvert was then called in to action at the other end, unable to take a high ball in heavy traffic, Dodd’s try was ruled out for a knock-on.

Thackeray made no mistake from the scrum base moments later, however, leaving the defence sprawling after his side had been gifted possession when Gorski over-ran Mattinson’s pass.

Hartley’s kick put Widnes in front, just short of the hour mark, yet rather than wilt, the score gave Haven a new lease of life.

Rudd booted a 67th minute penalty after a good spell of possession, and four minutes later, Joe, Spencer Miller and Calvert combined to break out of defence.

Mattinson then stepped inside and outside the cover before being hauled down by Flynn a few metres from glory.

Rudd profited with a drop-goal to hand Haven the advantage, only for Widnes to snatch it back through James Webster from the re-start, after the hosts regained the ball.

Many of the Haven players looked out on their feet after the final whistle, having given every ounce of effort in the cause.

Beaten but unbowed in the eyes of their fans, they were entitled to hold their heads high.

Match facts

Haven: Benson, Eilbeck, R Jackson, McAvoy, Calvert, Rudd, Joe, Amor, Mattinson, Edmondson, S Miller, Gorski, Thornley. Subs: M Jackson, C Smith, D Miller, R Fox.

Tries: Joe, R Jackson, Amor.

Goals: Rudd 4, 1 drop-goal.

Vikings: Dodd, Flynn, Hartley, Gr-ady, Varkulis, Thackeray, Webster, Ostick, Smith, Gannon, Grayshon, Fletcher, Doran. Subs: Kavanagh, Yates, Houghton, Hulme.

Tries: Grady, Hartley 2, Thackeray, Webster.

Goals: Hartley 3.

Attendance: 2,375.

Referee: Ronnie Laughton.

First published at 15:51, Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk