By Martin Morgan

Published at 16:00, Wednesday, 02 March 2011

HAVEN turned the form book on its head to record as gritty a win as they have produced for well over a season.

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The Cumbrians were demolished 50-0 by last season’s Championship One Grand Finalists only five weeks ago in a pre-season friendly.

But when it really mattered on Sunday, with Northern Rail Cup points on the line, they dug deep to pull off a fine victory.

The first-half, playing up the Whitebank slope, Haven showed some great handling given the heavy conditions.

And after the break, they showed the other side of their game, the bit that was absent in last month’s clash between the pair – a desire to defend when the opposition is battering your line for set after set.

Haven started the stronger but looked certain to concede when Roughyeds full-back Ben Heaton grabbed a Haven grubber close to his own line and hared down the right flank.

Centre Scott McAvoy set off in what seemed a fruitless pursuit, but he quickly gained ground and miraculously pulled him down a couple of steps short of Haven’s try line. I doubt that Haven fans will see a better cover tackle all season.

Later in the set, Oldham fumbled in the shadow of Haven’s sticks and the tone was set.

Even when the hosts took the lead, centre Mark Brocklehurst touching down when a kick to Haven’s right flank was not taken cleanly, the Cumbrians did not lose heart.

A Lewis Palfrey penalty reduced the deficit and Haven were again on the offensive after his half-back Tane Manihera blocked an Oldham grubber deep in his own half to mount a counter-attack.

Haven earned a second set when Heaton fumbled Palfrey’s low kick on his own line, and then a third, perhaps a shade luckily, when a defender was judged to have made a play for a ball as he tackled Craig Benson.

Oldham could not hold out, and Danny Barker rounded off the spell of pressure, diving over in the corner.

The young back-rower suffered a head injury as he went over the line and took no further part in the game.

With the halves pulling the strings in attack, Craig Benson producing some great runs from the back and the superb Spencer Miller leading the defensive effort, Haven were in charge.

And when they scored on their first set of the second-half, now playing down the slope, it appeared they could run up a big score.

Carl Sice’s 40-20 kick handed them the position from which the hooker jabbed the ball through for Andrew Beattie to touch down under the posts.

Palfrey’s conversion made it 12-4 and on 54 minutes, the stand-off booted his side further ahead.

Again, Haven had seized on an Oldham error. The hosts failed to find touch with a penalty around half-way, Craig Calvert leaping high to palm the ball infield.

Benson immediately broke 30 metres downfield, and moments later, Oldham were penalised for a ruck infringement.

The hosts had the better of the final 25 minutes, but Haven refused to yield, defending set after set close to their line.

The Roughyeds really turned the screw in the closing moments, with ex-Warrington star Paul Noone hard to hold in the second-row.

When the experienced Neil Roden kicked through for Noone with just five minutes left on the clock, Benson was alive to the play, fearlessly diving at the forward to prevent a try.

Calvert came inside to help his forwards and drive the ball out of defence. But he was dispossessed in a tackle 10 metres from his posts.

Yet once again, a handful of defenders raced over to snuff out the threat and deny the hosts a try.

What a tackle, and what a performance from Haven. Down in the pro game’s third tier, but on this effort, far from out.

HAVEN: Benson, Rossi, Eilbeck, McAvoy, Calvert, Palfrey, Manihera, Ford, C Smith, Isakka, S Miller, Barker, Beattie. Subs: Sice, Cullnean, Hill, D Miller.

Tries: Barker, Beattie.

Goals: Palfrey 3.

OLDHAM: Heaton, Onyango, St Hilaire, Brocklehurst, Gillam, N Roden, Ashe, Boults, M Roden, Sutton, Gilchrist, Noone, Clarke. Subs: Whitmore, Bentley, Isherwood, Wood-Hulme.

Try: Brocklehurst.

Half-time: 4-6.

Attendance: 544.

Referee: George Stokes.

Star Man: Craig Benson.

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